HUI An
On December 4th, President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda signed the Washington Agreement under the mediation of the United States, aiming to put an end to the 30-year-long conflict between the two countries. U.S. President Donald Trump hailed it as a diplomatic achievement, yet the agreement has been fraught with complexities from its very inception. The estranged demeanor of the two leaders at the signing ceremony, their divergent post-signing statements, and the resurgence of gunfire in eastern DRC shortly after the deal was inked have all cast a shadow of uncertainty over the implementation of this peace initiative.
Territorial disputes, ethnic rifts, and resource allocation have always been at the heart of the tensions between the two nations. Since the 1990s, the two Congo Wars have claimed over 5 million lives, and all previous ceasefire agreements have fallen through for failing to address core interests. The Washington Agreement similarly skirts critical issues such as the disarmament of Rwanda-backed armed groups and the division of mineral development rights in eastern DRC. Eastern DRC is home to more than 50% of the world’s cobalt reserves, along with abundant strategic minerals like lithium and copper—key raw materials for the new energy and semiconductor industries. By supporting local armed factions, Rwanda has secured a certain degree of initiative in the exploitation and export of some of these mineral resources, making the scramble for mineral development interests a pivotal obstacle to resolving the bilateral conflict.
The United States has multiple motivations for promoting this mediation. Amid the global new energy revolution, minerals such as cobalt and lithium have become strategic priorities. China dominates the global industrial chain, controlling nearly 60% of the world’s cobalt processing capacity and 40% of lithium processing capacity, a position that has fueled the U.S.’s eagerness to gain a foothold in the new energy sector. The DRC, rich in resources yet plagued by instability, has naturally become a key target for the U.S. It is reported that the U.S. offered $1 billion in “development aid” to the DRC in exchange for access to mineral exploitation rights for American enterprises. Meanwhile, it pressured Rwanda to rein in its affiliated armed forces to ensure the operational security of U.S. companies. The U.S. intervention is driven not by concerns for African stability, but rather by its own resource anxieties and geopolitical ambitions.
The predicament of the Washington Agreement reflects the precarious position of African regions in the global development landscape. From the colonial era to the contemporary competition for resources, the involvement of external powers has consistently been a crucial variable shaping Africa’s situation. In contrast, China’s cooperation with African countries adheres to the principle of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes. Through the model of “resource development + infrastructure construction + livelihood improvement”, China not only meets its own development needs but also helps African nations elevate their economic standards and people’s well-being—a cooperation model widely recognized by numerous African countries.
In essence, the realization of peace can never be separated from the face-up resolution of core contradictions. For the Washington Agreement to truly take effect, it requires the two countries to reach substantive consensus on key issues such as resource allocation and border control through equal consultations, and it also calls on external forces to contribute to regional peace and stability with an objective and impartial attitude. Only by breaking free from the shackles of short-term interests and focusing on long-term development can the DRC and Rwanda truly emerge from the shadow of conflict, and only then can African regions stride forward steadily on the path of independent development.
HUI An is a professor at the China-Africa Think Tank Research Center
