Highlights

• U.S. President Trump brokered the Washington Accords between Rwanda and DRC on December 4, 2025.
• The agreement links peace commitments to U.S. access to critical minerals including cobalt, copper, and tantalum.
• The deal aims to reduce U.S. dependence on China's rare earth dominance.
• Requirements include troop withdrawals and militia dismantlement, but fighting continued on signing day.
• Critics, including Nobel laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege, warn the agreement prioritizes mineral access over justice.
• Success depends on ceasefire compliance and addressing M23 rebels excluded from talks.

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On December 4, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump hosted Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Félix Tshisekedi in Washington, D.C. to finalize the “Washington Accords”—a peace deal aiming to end decades of violence in eastern Congo. The leaders signed the agreement at the U.S. Institute of Peace, which was interestingly renamed the “Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace” for the event.

This formal pact builds on a June 2025 framework, including commitments for Rwanda to withdraw its troops and for Congo to dismantle anti-Rwandan militias like the FDLR. The deal also launched a joint economic framework focused on infrastructure, trade, and critically, access to rare earths and other strategic minerals.

Rare Earth Access for U.S. Companies

The deal includes bilateral agreements enabling American companies to access Rwanda and the DRC’s extensive critical mineral reserves. Trump declared, “We’re sending some of our biggest and greatest U.S. companies over. Everybody’s going to make a lot of money.” According to Reuters and Fox News, these include rare earths, cobalt, copper, tin, tungsten, and tantalum—vital for defense and clean energy technologies.

The move is part of a broader U.S. strategy to reduce dependence on China, which currently controls over 70% of global rare earth mining and over 85% of processing. The DRC alone is the world’s largest cobalt producer and holds vast reserves of rare earth-related minerals.

However, these deals are conditional. The economic cooperation will only fully activate if the ceasefire holds and military withdrawals are honored. If fighting continues, mining access and U.S. capital inflows could stall.

Trump’s Role: Peacemaker or Power Broker?

Trump’s involvement was both operational and image-driven. White House officials credited him with leading months of negotiations, assisted by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and advisor Massad Boulos. Trump personally warned both sides of consequences for non-compliance and helped craft a minerals-for-peace framework, according to NPR and Reuters.

At the same time, Trump used the occasion to reinforce his image as a global statesman. He signed the deal with the other leaders, stood in front of a “Delivering Peace” banner, and called the moment “a great day for Africa.” Critics noted his pursuit of credit and speculated that the peace agreement could boost his international profile—and perhaps, as he’s hinted, his Nobel Peace Prize ambitions.

On-the-Ground Reality: Fragile Peace, Mixed Reactions

Despite the ceremony, violence persisted. Clashes between the M23 rebel group (backed by Rwanda, per UN experts) and the Congolese army were reported on the same day the accord was signed. M23 did not participate in the negotiations, weakening the deal’s enforcement potential.

Congolese Nobel laureate Dr. Denis Mukwege denounced (opens in a new tab) the agreement as “transactional,” warning it rewarded aggression and ignored justice for victims. Civil society groups in the DRC expressed concern that the pact prioritized U.S. mineral access over Congolese sovereignty.

Rwandan officials defended the deal, saying it would reduce tensions and open new trade avenues. They denied military presence in the DRC, despite international evidence to the contrary. Meanwhile, regional observers—including the African Union and Qatar—welcomed the peace initiative as a starting point for broader stability.

Bottom Line: A Deal with Opportunity—and Uncertainty

The Washington Accords offer a significant diplomatic and economic opening. A formal peace framework now exists, and U.S. companies may gain strategic access to Central Africa’s critical minerals. But risks remain high. Continued fighting, non-compliance, and local opposition could undermine implementation.

For investors and policymakers, this is a rare earth milestone worth tracking—yet its success hinges not on signatures, but on what unfolds in Goma, Bukavu, and beyond.

This Rare Earth Exchanges  summary delivers a condensed, multi-angle analysis of the Trump-brokered peace accord and its implications for rare earth supply chains, drawn from Reuters, AP, Fox News, NPR, and The Guardian.

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