SENIOR ADVISOR BOULOS: Please join me in welcoming Secretary Rubio, Foreign Minister Wagner, and Foreign Minister Nduhungirehe. (Applause.) Secretary Rubio, Foreign Minister Wagner, Foreign Minister Nduhungirehe, Minister of State Al Khulaifi, African Union Chairperson Youssouf, Foreign Minister Dussey, ambassadors, members of Congress, distinguished guests, members of the media, ladies and gentlemen: Thank you for joining for the historic signing of a comprehensive peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda.
In a moment, Secretary Rubio and the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda will sign an agreement that builds on the Declaration of Principles signed here on April 25th. With their signatures, the peace agreement will enter into force, bringing an end to a 30-year conflict and setting both countries and their people on a path towards peace and prosperity. This would not be possible without the leadership and vision of President Trump. He has made peace a priority of his administration, and we have taken up his call to find a peaceful resolution to this conflict.
I would like to recognize the tireless work that both foreign ministers and their teams put into reaching this agreement. I would also like to recognize the partnership from the Government of Qatar, who is driving towards a parallel agreement between the Government of the DRC and the M23 armed group. In addition, I would like to acknowledge that the work done under the auspices of the African Union was critical for reaching this agreement. We look forward to coordinating with the AU chairperson and Togolese president, who is serving as the AU facilitator, to ensure implementation of the agreement.
Finally, I would like to recognize the team here at the Department of State who facilitated the discussions and helped guide both sides towards this agreement.
I will now turn to Secretary Rubio for opening remarks.
SECRETARY RUBIO: Thank you, and I’m honored all of you are here today. I’m honored to be joined by my counterparts from the Democratic Republic of Congo and from Rwanda, and the hard work you both put in to make this happen. This was not easy. And there’s still work to be done, obviously, in terms of implementation, but we’re very honored you’re both here, and it’s been an honor to work with both of you.
We have a lot of people to thank: obviously, the great team here at the Department of State, who did a great job; Mr. Boulos, who did a phenomenal job – he’s been on the job now about 10 weeks, and he’s jumped all over this and really worked it hard. And you did a great job and we are grateful to you for all of your work. Obviously, this could not have happened without such close friends and partners in the African Union and in Qatar, who we’re working a lot lately with, Qatar. We’re doing a lot of things with you guys, and you’ve been very instrumental. And the African Union – without you this couldn’t have happened. I mean, you made – put everybody together.
I do want to recognize my – when I say former colleagues, it wasn’t six months ago I was still a senator, but they’re here now, Senators Rounds and Risch. Senator Risch is the chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee and a very close friend of mine, and he’s obviously watched this issue very closely, he’s made it a priority; and Senator Rounds, who’s been talking to me about this before I was even nominated to the position and even during the nomination process. And we have others who were not able to make it today that I also want to recognize: Senator Coons and Booker. There’s been a lot of interest in this, and we’re grateful to all of them. They were invited, but I guess they have stuff going on in the Senate, as you know, and – but we’re grateful to both of you who are here, and it’s instrumental.
This is an important moment after 30 years of war. President Trump is a president of peace. He really does want peace. He prioritizes it above all else. We saw his intervention in the conflict between India and Pakistan. We saw his intervention most recently as a few days ago, in a very dangerous war, right, a very dangerous war that could have really spiraled out of control. And his intervention made that possible. And there are other places that we want to see this.
But we’re very excited about this, and we can’t wait to have the heads of state, the presidents of the respective countries, here in Washington in a few weeks to finalize the complete protocol and agreement. But today is an important step in that direction, and we’re grateful to be able to host it here at the Department of State.
And just thinking – we think sometimes about peace. It’s not just about ending wars; it’s about – and it’s not just about saving lives. It’s about allowing people to live. It’s about allowing people to now have dreams and hopes for a better life, for prosperity, for economic opportunity, for family reunification – for all of the things that make life worth living. Those things become impossible when there’s war and when there’s conflict.
So we’re grateful to have played the role we’ve played. We acknowledge and recognize there’s still more work to be done. But we thank you all very much for being a part of this historic and important day. This is really why I wanted this job, or why I embraced this job so much, is moments like this. This is the – in essence the Department of State is really the department of peace. It’s designed to bring people together, both in our relations with other countries, but to the extent we can use the stature and the influence of the United States, to bring others together. It makes the world a better place. And I honestly believe that when there’s peace in the world among friends who may have disagreements and conflict, it does make help America – it does help make America stronger and safer and more prosperous. It gives us people we – partners we can do business with and partners that we can work with to address insecurity and threats to our national security and to our collective national security.
So we are grateful to both of you. I know how hard this was and how much work went into it. And we know there’s more work to be done. And – but we are grateful to have you here today. We’re honored to be a part of this. We’re excited to be a part of it. And again, I do want to thank everyone here in our Africa Bureau and at the Department of State, and once again, our superstar there, Mr. Boulos. What do you want to do next after you’re done with this? (Laughter.) Huh?
SENIOR ADVISOR BOULOS: Sudan. Sudan. (Laughter.)
SECRETARY RUBIO: Sudan, yeah. Very important. Actually very, very important, and you’re very involved in that as well. So what are you guys doing this weekend, Qatar? You guys want to work a little, huh? (Laughter.) Yeah, we are grateful to all of you. Thank you. Thank you.
SENIOR ADVISOR BOULOS: Okay. Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I now turn to the foreign minister of Rwanda for remarks.
FOREIGN MINISTER NDUHUNGIREHE: Thank you. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahamoud Youssouf, Minister of State Mohammed Al Khulaifi of Qatar, my colleague Minister of Foreign Affairs of Togo Robert Dussey, senators, dear colleagues: Good afternoon. Let me begin by expressing our sincere appreciation to President Donald Trump for his personal engagement in facilitating this historic agreement. We also extend our gratitude to the Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, Special Advisor Massad Boulos, and the entire State Department team. Your dedication has been indispensable.
This agreement is the product of months of coordinated efforts by multiple actors. It is very important to note that the state of Qatar has played an absolutely central role. Indeed, the opening which led to today’s agreement began in Doha. We will lend our full support in the weeks ahead to Qatar’s mediation efforts, led by Minister of State Mohammed Al Khulaifi, to secure a peace agreement between the DRC Government and the AFC/M23. This process is already well underway. Today’s agreement also builds on the African-led peace initiatives, which are ably led by the African Union facilitator, President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo.
The heart of this peace agreement is the decision to establish a standing joint security coordination mechanism between DRC and Rwanda. The first order of business is to begin implementing of the concept of operations for the neutralization of the FDLR, to be accompanied by a lifting of Rwanda’s defensive measures. This is grounded in the commitment made here for an irreversible and verifiable end to state support for FDLR and associated militias. That is the bedrock of peace and security in our region.
FDLR is no ordinary militia. It is the remnant of the forces which committed the genocide against the Tutsi in 1994 in which a million people were killed.
With this agreement, we also committed to facilitate the return of refugees in our respective territories, with the support of the UNHCR. Creating the conditions for the safe and dignified return of refugees is vital to achieve a lasting peace.
We also took to enhance economic cooperation, including with American companies and investors. Shared growth and cross-border cooperation will unlock tangible dividends for both our countries. We must acknowledge that there is a great deal of uncertainty in our region and beyond, because many previous agreements have not been implemented, and there is no doubt that the road ahead will not be easy. But with the continued support of the United States and other partners, we believe that a turning point has been reached. Rwanda stands ready to work with the DRC to deliver on our joint commitments.
To conclude, allow me to once again express Rwanda’s appreciation to all who have contributed to this milestone. Thank you. (Applause.)
SENIOR ADVISOR BOULOS: Thank you, Mr. Minister. I now turn to the Foreign Minister of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
FOREIGN MINISTER WAGNER: Mr. Secretary of State, the Honorable Senator Marco Rubio; Dr. Massad Boulos, Senior Advisor for African Affairs; His Excellency Mr. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission; His Excellency Mr. Olivier Nduhungirehe, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Rwanda; His Excellency Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Khulaifi, Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar; His Excellency Mr. Robert Dussey, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Togo – sorry – senators, excellencies, distinguished guests; and to all Congolese citizens following this moment wherever you may be.
Two months ago in this very room, we signed a declaration of principles, a first tangible step to break with deadlock and chart a path towards peace. Today, that choice takes shape and sustained efforts have come to fruition. With this peace agreement, we open a new chapter – one that calls not only for commitment but for the courage to see it through. By signing this agreement, we reaffirm a simple truth: Peace is a choice but also a responsibility to respect international law, to uphold human rights, and to protect the sovereignty of states. Those who have suffered the most are watching. They’re expecting this agreement to be respected, and we cannot fail them.
This agreement builds on the efforts of many. First and foremost, we want to express our sincere gratitude to His Excellency President Donald J. Trump for his commitments to this peace process. His leadership kept this process focused and goal-oriented, and that from day one. This was further characterized by the quality and resolve of the entire U.S. team, illustrated by the critical support of Senator Rubio and Dr. Boulos. We salute His Excellency President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo for choosing the harder path: a peace rooted in principle and in the dignity of our people. We thank President João Lourenço of Angola, facilitator of the Luanda Process, for laying critical foundations.
We’re also grateful to the State of Qatar and to his highness the emir, whose leadership was instrumental in convening the first direct meeting between our two heads of states in March, a courageous step that laid the groundwork for dialogue. Qatar has since facilitated further talks in Doha and remained a principled and steady partner throughout this peace effort. The African Union through its chairperson and the appointed facilitator, His Excellency Faure Gnassingbé of Togo, have anchored this process in African ownership. Finally, we thank the negotiating team of both the DRC and Rwanda for their perseverance and devotion.
This moment has been long in coming. It will not erase the pain, but it can begin to restore what conflict has robbed many women, men, and children of: safety, dignity, and a sense of future. For the Great Lakes region, it offers a rare chance to turn the page, not just with words but with real change on the ground. Some wounds will heal, but they will never fully disappear. They may grow over, but the skin will forever remain thin and frail, and deep down the flesh will still remember. At times we will feel numb and at others we will feel a sudden pang that will remind us of what was lost forever. The scars we carry on our bodies and in our souls will remind us of what must never be forgotten, repeated, or accepted.
A few days ago in Kinshasa, a coalition of women’s organizations shared a clear message with me: (In French.) We do not want a peace shaped by elites. We want a peace that is real, lived, shared, and built with us. To our fellow citizens in the east, this agreement was signed with you in mind. It provides for the disengagement of armed forces, the protection of civilians, the return of displaced persons and of refugees under government authority, and establishes a follow-up mechanism to ensure compliance. These are not just words on paper. They must now be translated into action, justice, accountability, and political will. This peace agreement is the starting point, not the end goal. It must now be followed by disengagement, justice, and the return of displaced families and the return of refugees both to the DRC and Rwanda.
However, no text, however carefully negotiated, can carry on its own the weight of peace. I still remember on the day we signed the Declaration of Principles, a member of the U.S. team said if it were easy, it would have been done a long time ago. That holds true now more than ever. What we have signed is only as strong as our will to implement it. We, the DRC, will certainly and resolutely fight for this agreement to be respected, not with our words but with our deeds. Today we have chosen peace. What matters now is that we protect it and prove to our people and to the world that even in a region marked by deep scars, dignity and cooperation can prevail.
So now our work truly begins. Thank you. (Applause.)
SENIOR ADVISOR BOULOS: Thank you, Madam Minister. It’s now my honor to invite the parties to sign the peace agreement, to be witnessed by Secretary Rubio. The agreement being signed includes provisions on the respect for territorial integrity and the prohibition of hostilities; the disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups; the establishment of a joint security coordination mechanism; the facilitation of the return of refugees and internally displaced persons; as well as humanitarian access, the reaffirmation of MONUSCO’s mandate, and the establishment of a regional economic integration framework.
The agreement also includes an annex on the functioning of the joint security coordination mechanism and the full text of the concept of operations of the harmonized plan for the neutralization of the FDLR and disengagement of forces/lifting of defensive measures by Rwanda, which was agreed to under the auspices of the Luanda Process on October 31st, 2024, and adopted by the foreign ministers on November 25, 2024.
With the parties’ signatures today, the agreement immediately enters into force.
(The agreement was signed.)
Thank you very much. Congratulations.
(Applause.) This concludes the proceedings. Kindly stay seated while the parties depart.
Source link
