Congo and Rwanda sign pathway to peace in US-brokered agreement

By Sonia Rolley and Jessica Donati

(Reuters) - Congo and Rwanda vowed to come up with a draft peace deal by May 2 and refrain from providing military support to armed groups, according to an agreement signed in Washington on Friday as part of diplomatic efforts to end violence in eastern Congo.

The agreement, reached amid an unprecedented advance by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in Congo, is expected to bring significant U.S. public and private investment to the region, which is rich in minerals including tantalum and gold, the final text said.

It raises hopes that the latest cycle of violence in a decades-long conflict rooted in the Rwandan genocide might ease. However, previous ceasefire calls have not produced a sustained break in the fighting.

Both parties also agreed to explore a joint security coordination mechanism to crack down on armed groups and criminal organizations.

The two countries' foreign ministers signed at a ceremony with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also signed as a witness.

"To our countrymen and women in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in the east, we know you are watching this moment," said Congo Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner.

"You have every reason to expect more than promises," she added.

Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe said it opened the door to a definitive peace agreement.

"We are discussing how to build new regional economic value chains that link our countries, including with American private sector investment," he said.

Building on the investment potential outlined in the agreement, Washington is in talks to invest billions of dollars in minerals in Congo, which has vast deposits of not only tantalum and gold but also copper, cobalt and lithium, used in mobile phones and electric cars. Separately, Rwanda said this week it was also speaking to Washington about a possible minerals deal.

"A durable peace in the Great Lakes region will open the door for greater U.S. and broader Western investment, which will bring about economic opportunities and prosperity," Rubio said at the ceremony.

"Our firms are good corporate citizens, American firms, and they'll bring good governance and ensure responsible, reliable supply chains for things like critical minerals."

'VERY BROAD'

The agreement is a "declaration of principles", which a diplomatic source described as "very broad objectives to work towards".

Both sides will finalise the specifics in a few months and then sign the agreement, the source said.

Congo has seen a surge in violence after M23 launched a major offensive in January that led to the capture of the two largest cities in the east.

The United Nations and Western governments say Rwanda has provided arms and troops to M23. Rwanda denies backing M23 and says its military has acted in self-defence against Congo's army and a militia founded by perpetrators of the 1994 genocide.

Both Qatar and the U.S. have shown an interest in mediating a resolution.

Qatar in March brokered a surprise sit-down between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame during which the two leaders called for a ceasefire.

Qatar has also hosted talks between Congo and M23, and this week the two sides issued a statement vowing to work towards peace.

The Qatari foreign affairs ministry said the agreement signed in Washington was a "positive and important step toward fostering peace and stability".

The Trump administration has taken a special interest in Congo since a Congolese senator contacted U.S. officials to pitch a minerals-for-security deal this year.

Washington wants greater access to minerals that are currently exploited predominantly by China and its mining companies.

The State Department has said the U.S. is interested in a deal and expects any agreement to involve private sector partners.

Already positioned to support a partnership is prominent Trump backer Erik Prince, who agreed earlier this year to help Congo secure and tax its vast mineral wealth.

(Additional reporting by Ange Kasongo in Kinshasa, Daphne Psaledakis in Washington and Robbie Corey-Bouley in Dakar; Writing by Jessica Donati and Sofia Christensen; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Lisa Shumaker)