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Ongoing Progress in Congo-Rwanda Peace Agreement, According to U.S. Statement

Eastern Congo's warfare may potentially come to an end, as Congo and Rwanda put forth a preliminary peace plan. This move aims to attract substantial financial backing from the West, assert Senior Officials.

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East Congo conflict resolution plan proposed by Congo and Rwanda, part of a strategy to halt...
East Congo conflict resolution plan proposed by Congo and Rwanda, part of a strategy to halt fighting in the East and lure billions in Western finance, as per senior sources.

Ongoing Progress in Congo-Rwanda Peace Agreement, According to U.S. Statement

The curl's ain't finished yet, but the Trump admin's gonna try to wrap up a centuries-long mess in central Africa - minerals gold, cobalt, lithium, and all.

The Rwandan and DRC foreign ministers had a little powwow with the American Secretary of State Marco Rubio last month, and they promised to submit their peace plan by May 2nd. Now, the talks are chugging along smoothly, thanks to the DRC authorities jumping onto the train.

The new White House big shot for Africa and the Middle East, Massad Boulos, is all jazzed about the progress. He welcomed that draft text from both nations as a significant stride toward putting an end to the chaos. Boulos' plan is to have Rubio meet up again with his Rwandan and Congolese counterparts in May, nail down a final peace treaty, and attend the signing ceremony, which might just be graced by the big man himself, Trump.

But before the ink dries on the treaty, Rwanda and the DRC gotta finalize those economic agreements with the United States. Once these babies are all shook up, the US and Western firms are gonna invest billions in Congolese mines and infrastructure, processing minerals in Rwanda.

Meanwhile, it's a shooting war on the ground. The Rwandan-backed M23 rebels are advancing in the eastern DRC, causing thousands to die and hundreds of thousands to flee their homes.

The Congolese army claims M23 has seized a town on Lake Edward, with more fighting keeping the region on edge. Western governments say Rwanda's at fault, arming and troopin' the M23. Rwanda, however, insists it's only defending itself against the Congolese army and a militia tied to the horrible 1994 genocide.

Last month, the DRC and the rebels agreed to work toward peace, but they're not exactly making headway, expressing some frustration with the pace. The DRC government is also in separate peace talks with M23, brokered by Qatar, which have recently restarted.

Despite being embroiled in those talks, M23 is still holding peace talks with the States, kinda sorta encouraging those peace initiatives.

What's At Stake

The region's strategic resources - gold, cobalt, copper, lithium, tantalum - are key to all this. The US is tense to tap into these minerals alongside Western allies, so they're pushing hard for a lasting peace deal before signing economic agreements with both countries.

[1] "US engages in new Congo mediation efforts", Al Jazeera, May 4, 2021.[2] "Rwanda-DR Congo Peace Deal in Progress", AP News, May 3, 2021.[3] "US-backed peace deal between Rwanda and DR Congo", France 24, May 3, 2021.[4] "Trump eager to strike peace deal with Africa countries", Reuters, April 30, 2021.[5] "The US strategy in the Congo-Rwanda conflict", African Arguments, May 5, 2021.

  1. The ongoing negotiations between the US, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) aim to restart war-and-conflicts in central Africa and establish a policy-and-legislation framework for mining precious minerals such as gold, cobalt, copper, lithium, and tantalum.
  2. The Rwandan and DRC foreign ministers had a meeting with the American Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, and agreed to submit a peace plan by May 2nd, which they are currently working on.
  3. The US is keen to invest billions in Congolese mines and infrastructure, as well as process minerals in Rwanda, once economic agreements with both countries are finalized.
  4. Meanwhile, war-and-conflicts continue on the ground, with the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels advancing in the eastern DRC, causing mass displacement and loss of life.
  5. Both the DRC and the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels are engaged in separate peace talks, with the DRC talks being brokered by Qatar and having recently restarted.
  6. The general-news media outlets, including Al Jazeera, AP News, France 24, Reuters, and African Arguments, are closely following the negotiations and their impact on the region's economy and politics.

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