KINSHASA – Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi declared on Monday that the peace agreement signed with Rwanda last Friday in Washington marks the beginning of “a new era of stability” in the region.
“This agreement, signed by the foreign ministers of our two countries during a solemn ceremony presided over by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, opens the door to a new era of stability, cooperation, and prosperity for our nation,” Tshisekedi said in a video address marking the 65th anniversary of independence from Belgian colonial rule.
The DRC and Rwanda signed the peace accord aimed at ending the long-running conflict in eastern Congo, which has claimed thousands of lives over the past decades.
“This is a significant moment after thirty years of war,” U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated during the signing ceremony at the State Department, standing alongside the Rwandan and Congolese foreign ministers. He cautioned, however, that “much work remains to be done.”
Several countries and international organizations welcomed the agreement, calling it an “important step” toward ending decades of violence and instability between Kinshasa and Kigali.
