President Donald Trump has confirmed that the United States will invest in the mining sector of the Congo and Rwanda, as the nations signed a peace agreement on Thursday.
Trump called it “a great day for Africa” as he witnessed the
signing of the Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity by President Felix
Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame.
The U.S.-mediated treaty aims to end a 30-year conflict,
with both leaders agreeing to cease hostilities, respect territorial integrity,
and end all state support for non-state armed groups.
Congo must now disarm and neutralize the FDLR, the Hutu
militia linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide; Rwanda must withdraw its troops
from the DRC and halt support for the M23 rebels.
Urging the heads of state to return to the path of peace and
development, Trump noted that their countries’ “tremendous wealth,” contained
in rare earth elements, should benefit their people.
Declaring America’s interest in the minerals, the President
announced that the U.S. would soon send some of its “biggest and greatest
companies” to Congo and Rwanda.
Congo is the world’s biggest cobalt producer and the
second-largest source of copper, while Eastern Congo is rich in tin, gold,
tantalum, and tungsten.
“We’re going to take out some of the rare earth, take out
some of the assets and pay,” Trump told the gathering. “Everybody is going to
make a lot of money.”
“The responsibility will not lie with President Trump but
with ourselves,” President Kagame averred, adding that though there will be ups
and downs on the road ahead, Rwanda will not be found wanting.
“This day is the beginning of a new path; a demanding path,”
President Tshisekedi said. “Quite difficult, but this is a path where peace
will not just be a wish and aspiration, but a turning point.”
“The four separate agreements seek to establish a strong
infrastructure for ongoing cooperation in the economic and security realm,”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said after the instruments were signed.
According to Rubio, by addressing the causes of conflict,
fostering trust, and advancing economic cooperation, the DRC and Rwanda are
taking bold steps to set up a brighter future for their citizens.
The diplomat added that America recognizes the immense
economic potential of the Great Lakes region will only be realized through the
full implementation of peace and security commitments.
The State Department says Thursday’s event affirms Congo and
Rwanda’s readiness for peace, security, and economic growth through the
Regional Economic Integration Framework.
The groundbreaking bilateral initiative unlocks the vast
economic potential of the Great Lakes region and creates opportunities for the
United States’ private sector.
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