A historic turning point for the Great Lakes Region unfolded in Washington, D.C., on December 4, 2025, as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Republic of Rwanda signed a landmark peace agreement aimed at ending decades of conflict in eastern Congo. Kenya’s President, His Excellency Dr. William Samoei Ruto, delivered a powerful statement during the ceremony, applauding the diplomatic breakthrough and underscoring Africa’s renewed hope for stability and economic transformation.
Hosted by U.S. President Donald J. Trump, the event brought together African heads of state, senior diplomats, and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, marking what President Ruto described as “a decisive act to end a devastating conflict that has scarred the region for decades.”
President Ruto emphasized that the conflict has destabilized the Great Lakes Region, destroyed livelihoods, and undermined continental progress. He credited the success of the peace accord to coordinated regional initiatives specifically the Nairobi, Luanda, and Washington Processes while extending gratitude to President Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda for their leadership throughout the negotiations.
Ruto reserved special praise for President Trump, calling his involvement “bold, instrumental, and pivotal” in bringing the parties together and pushing the agreement across the finish line. According to Ruto, the United States’ unprecedented convening power and Trump’s clarity of purpose played an indispensable role in securing this diplomatic victory.
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The Kenyan leader noted that Africa’s prolonged conflicts have limited the continent’s global economic participation, citing Africa’s mere 3% share of global trade as evidence of unrealized potential. He argued that a peaceful eastern DRC could unlock one of Africa’s greatest economic opportunities rich mineral resources, a young workforce, and the power of regional integration.
President Ruto highlighted Kenya’s own infrastructure financing model, driven by public-private partnerships (PPPs) and renewable energy innovation, as an example of how stable governance and investor confidence can drive transformation. He announced ongoing efforts to establish a National Infrastructure Fund designed to mobilize local and international investment with transparency and sustainability at its core.
He further stressed that a peaceful and integrated Great Lakes Region would reduce risks, lower regulatory barriers, increase trade, and attract value-adding industries particularly in minerals, manufacturing and agro-processing. Such transformation, he said, is essential for Africa to stop exporting raw materials only to import expensive finished goods.
“As we stand at the threshold of a new era,” Ruto declared, “peace will open the door, integration will guide us through it, and private-sector dynamism will propel us forward.”
Ending his address, President Ruto called on President Trump to extend similar support toward resolving the unfolding humanitarian crisis in Sudan, reminding the global community that peace must be comprehensive and inclusive.
The Washington peace accord is being hailed as a once-in-a-generation milestone, offering the Great Lakes Region a chance to rewrite its future one anchored in stability, economic renewal, and shared prosperity.
