A Researcher Discusses why the United States is Interested in the DRC-Rwanda Ceasefire

Many have hailed the deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a significant step toward ending years of conflict in the eastern part of the country. Following Kinshasa’s offer of minerals in exchange for security, the United States, which mediated the agreement, became engaged.

However, mineral riches is not the only factor contributing to violence in the area, according to Dr. Samuel Igba, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pretoria. The area is abundant in natural resources, including copper, cobalt, and coltan, all of which are critical to Western production. Additionally, several mines are illegally controlled by armed organisations, Igba stated.

Although Kinshasa and Kigali are the main topics of the deal, hundreds of armed organisations and proxy forces are involved, which may make any long-term settlement more difficult. M23, a group supported by Rwanda, is one of those parties with which Congo is having separate negotiations facilitated by Qatar.

“The AU-led Luanda, Angola process and the high-level peacebuilding that we see on television, the Qatar process, are not the same… “We are observing that there is a gap that these two high-level peace-building and the grassroots peace-building are not connecting,” Igba said, adding that these peace procedures have not resulted in any concrete agreement for more than 30 years, during which this war has continued.

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