This history of conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) spans at least three decades. It goes back at least as far as the 1990-1994 Rwandan genocide, the clashes between Hutu and Tutsi militias, in which 800,000 Tutsi were killed. This resulted in the 1st and 2nd Congo Wars, and the current brush-fire level scrapping and finally, in 2021, the whole thing exploded into open warfare.
That may be ending now. On Thursday, President Trump hosted the leaders of the DRC and Rwanda at the White House, where the three signed the historic Washington Accords ending a prolonged conflict between the two African nations.
First, President Trump, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi officially signed the accords.
President Donald J. Trump, Rwandan President Paul Kagame, and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi sign the historic Washington Accords 🇺🇸🇷🇼🇨🇩 pic.twitter.com/qpmXqeKzNH
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 4, 2025
Next, the President of Kenya, William Samoei Ruto, said a few words on the occasion:
Kenyan President @WilliamsRuto speaks on the historic peace deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo: "Mr. President, what you have achieved is not only transformative — it is consequential, and historic." pic.twitter.com/vgApuySaxD
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) December 4, 2025
President Ruto said:
Today's signing of the Washington Peace Accord. For (Rwanda) and DRC, it is not merely a monumental diplomatic milestone. It is a decisive act to end a devastating conflict that has scarred the region for decades. Mr. President (Trump), what you have achieved is not only transformative, it is consequential, it is historic.
He's not exaggerating. This is a conflict with deep roots. In the late '90s, we were all aware of the fighting in that region that resulted in swarms of refugees fleeing from the country that was then called Zaire into Rwanda, and vice versa. It was a long and brutal conflict, and now, for the time being at least, it's over.
Here's another argument for President Trump's being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize, even though the value of that award has been lessened since they gave one to Barack Obama for existing. Still, if this, combined with all of President Trump's other peace efforts, doesn't ring some bells in Oslo, I don't know what might.
Read More: WaPo Columnist: Trump Deserves the Nobel Peace Prize
Of course, to describe most of Africa as unstable is to engage in the grossest of understatements. We don't know how long this peace deal will last. It's usual for national leaders to wax rhapsodic about the potential longevity of any deal like this, but we should bear in mind that these kinds of peace deals between third-world countries will last only as long as the least stable rebel group leader in the area, and in this part of the world there are any number of fuses that may once again set the whole think alight.
For now, though, the people of the DRC and Rwanda get a breather, and perhaps a chance to start dragging their respective nations into the modern era.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump and his administration’s bold leadership, we are respected on the world stage, and our enemies are being put on notice.
Help us continue to report on the administration’s peace through strength foreign policy and its successes. Join RedState VIP and use promo code FIGHT to get 60% off your VIP membership.
Join the conversation as a VIP Member