WASHINGTON — The president of the Republic of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, and the president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, thanked President Donald Trump and his administration Thursday for brokering a historic peace deal between their nations.
Both leaders expressed their gratitude shortly before signing the Washington Accords at the U.S. Institute of Peace, recently renamed the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace. This signing marks the official end of a three-decade-long conflict between the nations.
“The biggest word of thanks goes to President Donald Trump. No one was asking President Trump to take up this task. Our region is far from the headlines, but when the President saw the opportunity to contribute to peace, he immediately took it,” Kagame said.
“This conflict has lasted for 30 years. We have seen countless mediations and efforts, but none had succeeded in resolving the underlying issues,” he added.
Kagame applauded Trump for creating an atmosphere where “breakthroughs” were possible.
“His approach is even-handed, never taking sides. He orients us toward the future, not the past, emphasizing that the dividend of peace is prosperity and investment, including from the United States,” he said. “More importantly, President Trump’s approach is pragmatic.”
He stated that such “elements” are shared by Trump’s deputies, singling out Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Senior Adviser for Arab and African Affairs Massad Boulos, for special appreciation.”
“We would not be here today without their efforts, and as a result, we have the clearest and most viable path forward that we have ever had,” he emphasized.
“These accords provide everything needed to end this conflict once and for all,” he added. “If this agreement falters and things do not work out as they are supposed to, the responsibility will not lie with President Trump, but with ourselves.”
Tshisekedi thanked Trump, his administration, and the American people in his remarks before stating that the Washington Accords mark a “turning point.”
He said:
They bring together under a coherent architecture a declaration of principles of a peace agreement and also the regional economic integration framework to provide to the peoples of the region a new perspective, a new outlook, namely, to finally overcome the cycle of violence, of forced displacements, of mistrust, defiance in order to begin a new era of friendship, cooperation and prosperity, all shared together.
Trump complimented both men as “courageous leaders.”
“I’ve just held really fantastic meetings with both men and representatives of other countries where we discussed the importance of upholding this new agreement, very detailed, powerful agreement,” he said.