President Donald Trump announced a new peace pact between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which he linked to US access to critical minerals. At a meeting in Washington, Trump claimed his administration had "succeeded where many others have failed," calling this the eighth war he has ended in less than a year. However, the reality on the ground is far more complicated, as fighting in eastern Congo continues despite the signing of the previous peace agreement.

The agreement is not just about a ceasefire; it also concerns the mineral trade. The agreement grants US companies access to the region's copper and cobalt reserves—essential materials for making cell phone batteries and electric vehicles. The US is also investing in a railway project connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Angola-Congo border to facilitate the flow of minerals. This move is clearly part of the US's efforts to compete with China for the world's strategic minerals.

While promising on paper, analysts warn that implementing this deal in a highly unstable region will be challenging. The armed group M23 still controls much of eastern Congo and has established a "parallel government" that controls almost everything, including the mineral supply chain. Peace talks in Doha between Congo and M23 have not yet produced an agreement on the return of territory, disarmament, and justice for victims. As long as the armed group refuses to relinquish power, the promised peace will be elusive.

At the political elite level, the mood is stark. Rwandan President Paul Kagame praised Trump, saying the deal provides everything needed to end the conflict "forever," while asserting that if it fails, the blame will not be Trump's but African leaders' own. Congolese officials, on the other hand, accuse Rwanda of not being serious about peace, while some opposition politicians in Congo say their president is only pursuing business deals with the US and is "mocking Congolese corpses" by signing the deal.

The voices on the ground are far more somber. Activists and residents in eastern Congo say bullets are still flying and people are unsafe, with hundreds of civilians killed in the past month alone. Some community leaders and researchers worry that this agreement will remain merely a "paper announcement" with no real intention of being implemented in good faith. Residents like Pathy Musa believe that if Rwanda fails to honor the agreement, the conflict could escalate into a never-ending war, claiming even more lives. Amid claims of peace and promises of major investments, people in eastern Congo still wonder: is this truly for peace, or simply for minerals? (az)

Source: Newsmaker.id