Trump, Rubio Facilitate Peace Pact Between DRC and Rwanda to End Decades-Long Mineral War

Trump, Rubio Facilitate Peace Pact Between DRC and Rwanda to End Decades-Long Mineral War

If you have been a long-time follower of my monkeypox coverage, you will already understand that a contributing factor to the latest strain’s spread is the ongoing conflict between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.

Now it is being reported that President Donald Trump, together with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has brokered a peace deal between the two nations, aiming to end a decades-long conflict centered on the resource-rich eastern region of the DRC.

The conflict, marked by violent bloodshed and millions of deaths (primarily due to competition over minerals such as gold, cobalt, lithium) has been one of Africa’s deadliest and most protracted.

At the invitation of Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshekedi, the Trump administration was brought in to lead negotiations to end the war raging in the east of the country between DRC forces and rebels believed to be backed by Rwanda. A peace deal was initialed Wednesday evening by officials from the neighboring nations, and it’s set to be signed formally late next week in Washington by their leaders, and witnessed by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the State Department said.

While many in the region will welcome an end to the long-running and deadly conflict, Daniel Van Dalen, a senior analyst at the Africa-focused intelligence firm Signal Risk, says the way the agreement was hashed out signals a major change in geopolitical efforts to end crises on the continent. The days of diplomatic soft power, he says, are over.

Officials have said the agreement is part of the U.S.’ new bid under President Trump to build relationships in Africa that are more transactional and less focused on exerting soft power through diplomacy and investment.

I'm starting to think Trump wants a Nobel Peace Prize. https://t.co/BmPauM2Tqb

— Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) June 21, 2025

The deal was negotiated over three days in Washington, involving top officials from both countries, and focuses on ending hostilities, enforcing territorial integrity, disarming rebel groups (notably the M23, which was not directly included in the talks), and supporting the return of displaced communities.

The US State Department further confirmed that the peace framework was built on mutual concessions and long-term goals for stability in the region.

However, concerns remain about the role of the M23 militia, which was not included in the talks. M23 controls significant parts of eastern DRC and is widely believed to receive support from Rwanda—an allegation Kigali has consistently denied. The group recently expanded its presence in two provinces, raising fears that the conflict could continue in spite of the treaty.

Trump mentioned that officials from the DRC and Rwanda would be in Washington on Monday for the signing, although their joint statement indicated that the signing would actually take place on June 27.

I have stressed the importance of the U.S. developing its own critical minerals industry. The carrot used to inspire this peace agreement is the promise of multi-billion-dollar investments to develop these operations in the region, with American companies expected to play a major role in mining and related infrastructure.

In fact, in May, U.S.-based KoBold Metals announced the acquisition of a significant stake in the contested Manono lithium project, signaling direct American business interest in the DRC’s mineral wealth.

KoBold Metals, a U.S.-based mining exploration company, has announced a deal to buy Australian AVZ Minerals Ltd.’s stake in a contested lithium project in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Extensive deposits of key minerals mean the DRC is likely a key player in the transition to green energy. Roughly three years ago, a lithium deposit was confirmed at Manono, in the southeast of the country, possibly one of the largest in the world.

Interestingly enough, this is paired with “Chinese market-manipulation fatigue“.

As China has flooded the global market with DRC-sourced cobalt, prices have decreased, resulting in reduced tax revenues on a per-ounce production basis.

The rise in output from Chinese mines has led to a 51.8 percent year-on-year increase in cobalt exports from the DRC.17 Chinese firms, backed by the state, are willing to absorb these losses in exchange for long-term dominance in the global cobalt market. To address this issue, the DRC implemented a cobalt export ban in February 2025 for at least four months. The country’s fatigue toward Chinese market manipulation has been expressed by both government and private sector stakeholders.

It will be interesting to see if the new “transactional” diplomacy works out to everyone’s benefit, including our own.

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