Uhuru Kenyatta: Washington peace accords open a new path for Rwanda, DRC

From Right-Left, former President Uhuru Kenyatta, President Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi) and President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço (Angola) at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, D.C., USA, before signing of the Washington Accords for Peace between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). [FPCS]

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta says the Washington peace accord between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo addresses a conflict that has claimed more than 1

 that has claimed more than 10 million lives.

He termed the deal signed on Friday, December 5, a historic turning point for the Great Lakes region.

Kenyatta witnessed the ceremony in Washington where Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and DRC's President Félix Tshisekedi formalized the pact.

President William Ruto attended the signing alongside other regional leaders where he underscored Kenya's continued role in regional peace efforts.

The accord builds on an earlier framework signed by the two countries' foreign ministers June 27 in Washington.

It requires Rwanda to withdraw its forces from eastern DRC,  commits both governments to dismantling armed groups including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of

Rwanda (FDLR) and establishes a joint security coordination mechanism to oversee disarmament, troop withdrawal and verification.

It also provides for the safe return of refugees and internally displaced communities and lays out a regional economic integration plan covering infrastructure, trade, shared mineral oversight and energy cooperation.

Kenyatta said the Washington deal builds on years of mediation under the Nairobi and Luanda tracks he helped steer.

"The Washington Accords signed by Rwanda's President Paul Kagame and President Félix Tshisekedi ends decades of conflict in the region by establishing a permanent ceasefire, the disarmament of rebel groups, provisions for refugees to return home and a new framework for economic prosperity," he said.

He praised Kagame and Tshisekedi for what he described as courageous leadership in choosing dialogue after years of mistrust.

US President Donald Trummp, Rwanda's Paul Kagame and DRC's FelixTshisekedi signs the Washington Accords for Peace between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) in Washington, D.C., USA,. [PCS]

He also highlighted the role of the United States, noting US President Donald Trump offered a platform and political backing for the agreement.

Ruto told the gathering that coordinated diplomacy across the Nairobi, Luanda and Washington processes created the opening for the breakthrough.

The Head of State said the accord could unlock major economic opportunities in the region and stressed Kenya's commitment to supporting implementation of the agreement.

Ruto described the signing as a monumental diplomatic milestone that reflects the power of African-led solutions to continental challenges.

Tshisekedi acknowledged the long road to the agreement, noting the contribution of regional mediators who shaped earlier peace efforts.

Kagame said Rwanda remains committed to stability and urged African governments to  consolidate the gains secured through the deal.

Trump praised the parties for what he termed bold steps to end one of the longest-running conflicts in the world.