Donald Trump was told by a reporter that he might be nominated for one of the world’s most prestigious prizes after his help in brokering a peace deal.
The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have signed a peace deal facilitated by the US to help end the decades-long fighting, which has killed over 6,000,000 people.
The agreement, signed on Friday, was lauded by Trump as a ‘big day for the world, as Secretary of State Marco Rubio signified how important it was after 30 years of war.
The deal, signed by the foreign ministers of the two countries, will also help the US government and American companies gain access to critical minerals needed for much of the world’s technology.
‘President Félix Tshisekedi is thinking of nominating you for the Nobel Peace Prize. You deserve it,’ a reporter told Trump in the White House.
‘You have been working to bring peace in the world, not only in the Congo, and he’s very hopeful to meet you in the future,’ she added.
‘Tshisekedi told me that for many years, American presidents have overlooked this conflict. They didn’t do anything.’
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The conflict between Rwanda and the DRC
The fighting between Rwanda and the DRC has been going on for more than 30 years.
The tensions began shortly after the Rwandan genocide in 1994, which saw Hutu extremists murder more than 800,000 Tutsis.
After the government which allowed the genocide was overthrown, the Hutu extremists fled to the DRC, which borders Rwanda.
The dense jungle and lack of government in the rural area allowed the extremist group to hide among civilians and continue their onslaught against Rwanda, leading to multiple wars that have lasted until today.
Millions have been killed and millions of others displaced as armed groups took over areas of the DRC. The DRC is known for its mines of cobalt, which is vital for tech, making this conflict even more heightened, as other countries bid to get the natural resources.
What deal did Trump broker?
Official details of the agreement aren’t known, but earlier drafts have given an insight into key details of the peace agreement.
Each side would have to respect the other’s territory and stop hostilities towards one another. They would also disarm and return refugees and displaced persons to their homes.
But the elephant in the room is the minerals across the DRC, which Trump said the US was getting ‘a lot of rights to’.
The DRC previously offered a deal which would trade some of their precious minerals for a security guarantee, and it appears this might have gone ahead.
We’ll know more in the coming days, but for now, it appears the two countries have agreed to a historic peace deal.
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