President Tshisekedi Says He Would Nominate Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize if Rwanda-DR Congo Conflict Ends

Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi has declared that he would be the first to support former U.S. President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize if Trump successfully mediates an end to the long-standing conflict between the DRC and Rwanda.

In an exclusive interview aired Thursday, granted last week to Hariana Verás Victória of the White House press corps, President Tshisekedi voiced skepticism about the effectiveness of African institutions in resolving regional crises. Referring to the African Union as “just air,” he said the eastern Congo war has taught him a hard lesson about the continent’s unity or lack thereof.

The interview came ahead of a highly anticipated peace deal set to be signed Friday at 1:30 PM in Washington (6:30 PM in Kinshasa, 7:30 PM in Kigali) between the foreign ministers of DR Congo and Rwanda. While the full details of the accord remain undisclosed, it is expected to focus on ending hostilities and addressing mutual security concerns, particularly regarding the ongoing violence in eastern DRC.

Over the weekend, Donald Trump had boasted about his role in promoting peace in global conflict zones, stating he was bringing Rwanda and the DRC to the negotiation table. “This is a great day for Africa, and frankly, a great day for the world,” Trump declared. “But I will never get the Nobel Peace Prize for it.”

The comments raised eyebrows among analysts, with some interpreting them as an indirect plea for the prestigious award. Critics argue that Trump’s peace initiatives are often aligned with U.S. strategic interests rather than a commitment to global peace.

Asked by journalist Hariana whether he would back a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for Trump if peace is achieved, Tshisekedi responded without hesitation:

 “Yes, I would be the first to nominate him. I appreciate how he took this issue personally and how far we’ve come. We are nearing a peace agreement.”

Tshisekedi praised the Trump administration’s involvement not just in Central Africa, but also in conflicts in Ukraine, the Middle East, and elsewhere, saying:

 “If Trump manages to resolve this conflict between Rwanda and the DRC, he deserves that Nobel Prize.”

He was critical of earlier peace efforts brokered under the Luanda and Nairobi processes, citing lack of unity among African nations as the reason they failed:

 “We keep saying ‘African solutions for African problems,’ but this war, instigated by Rwanda, has shown me that this slogan is just empty rhetoric.”

The DRC president expressed frustration at the silence of many African leaders:

 “I had leaders tell me in private that we were alone, and they couldn’t speak up publicly.”

Still, Tshisekedi extended his gratitude to Angola’s President João Lourenço for his mediation efforts, as well as to SADC countries, particularly Tanzania and Malawi, and to Uganda, Kenya, and especially Burundi for their support:

 “It’s unfortunate I have to name only a few, because many others lacked the courage to stand with us. This is the problem with Africa we have unity in words, but not in action.”

The Rwandan government has consistently denied accusations of involvement in the DRC conflict. Kigali claims Kinshasa has failed to protect its own citizens, which led them to take up arms, and accuses DRC forces of collaborating with the FDLR a rebel group hostile to Rwanda’s government.

Critics of Tshisekedi’s government have accused it of failing to address core governance challenges, opting instead for militarization of the east and relying on foreign forces to fight a war the national army is ill-equipped to handle.

While today’s peace deal will be signed by Foreign Ministers Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner of DRC and Olivier Nduhungirehe of Rwanda, Presidents Paul Kagame and Félix Tshisekedi are expected to sign the final accord next month in Washington, before its full implementation begins.

However, a major unresolved issue remains: the future of the M23 rebel group, which currently controls large parts of North and South Kivu provinces, including key cities like Goma and Bukavu.

The Doha peace talks between M23 and the Congolese government hosted by Qatar have been temporarily suspended. Both parties have received a preliminary draft of the peace framework, which they are expected to review with their leadership before resuming talks, though no exact date has been set for their return to the table.