Congolese negotiators have dropped their insistence that Rwanda pull its troops out of eastern Congo before a peace deal is signed, clearing the way for a U.S.-brokered agreement expected Friday, four people familiar with the talks said.
Analysts and diplomats estimate Rwanda has sent about 7,000 soldiers across the border to back the M23 rebels, who swept through eastern Congo earlier this year, seizing two major cities and mineral-rich territory. Kigali denies arming the group and says its forces are acting in self-defense against Congo-based militias linked to the 1994 genocide.
Under the revised accord, Rwanda would withdraw gradually over several months, contingent on joint operations against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, or FDLR, the sources said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the negotiations are private.
Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo said any “lifting of defensive measures” along the border hinges on neutralizing the FDLR. Congo’s government did not immediately comment. The U.S. State Department declined to discuss ongoing diplomacy.
The deal, shepherded by the Trump administration, aims to end decades of conflict and lure Western investors to Congo and Rwanda’s vast deposits of cobalt, copper, tantalum, gold and lithium while giving Washington steadier access to critical minerals.
Technical teams initialed a draft last week that covers territorial integrity, a ban on hostilities, and the disengagement or integration of non-state armed groups. It also builds on an earlier Angola-backed framework that would monitor the pullout of Rwandan troops and Congolese operations against the FDLR.
Whether Friday’s signing moves beyond broad principles to concrete steps remains to be seen, but negotiators say the path is now open for the two neighbors to put ink to paper.