By Sonia Rolley and Jessica Donati
(Reuters) -Congo and Rwanda plan to sign an agreement in Washington on Friday to promote peace and economic development, sources told Reuters, part of a diplomatic push to end violence after an advance by Rwandan-backed rebels in eastern Congo.
The agreement raises hopes that the latest cycle of violence in a decades-long conflict rooted in the Rwandan genocide might ease, with both countries hoping to attract significant U.S. investments in minerals. However, previous ceasefire calls have not produced a sustained break in the fighting.
The two countries’ foreign ministers are expected to sign at a ceremony with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Washington is in talks to invest billions of dollars in minerals in Congo, which has vast deposits of copper, cobalt and lithium, used in mobile phones and cars. Rwanda said this week it was also speaking to Washington about a possible minerals deal.
Congo has seen a surge in violence after Rwandan-backed M23 rebels 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 and professing a “commitment to an immediate cessation of hostilities.”
‘VERY BROAD’
A diplomatic source said the agreement to be signed on Friday aims to foster a “pathway to peace, stability, and integrated economic development” in eastern Congo and “the resumption of normal bilateral relations”.
Another source briefed on the agreement said it was intended to build investor confidence.
It amounts to “a declaration of principles – very broad objectives to work towards,” one diplomatic source said.
“Both sides will finalize the specifics in a few months and then, hopefully, a peace agreement will be signed.”
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 on minerals to involve a range of 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; Writing by Jessica Donati; Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet, Alison Williams, Alexandra Hudson)
