Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi arrived in Washington on Wednesday ahead of a high-stakes peace agreement.
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to preside over the event at the White House on Thursday, even as heavy fighting flared along the two African countries’ shared border.
The leaders’ arrival marks the final phase of an intensive diplomatic push by the United States and Qatar to halt nearly two years of escalating conflict in eastern Congo, where the M23 rebellion has seized territory and displaced vast populations.
U.S. officials say the deal aims to establish a monitored ceasefire, guarantee humanitarian access, and pave the way for a longer-term political settlement.
The urgency of the talks was underscored by intense clashes on Wednesday afternoon around the strategic border town of Kamanyola, where Congolese forces and allied militias battled M23 fighters for control of key roads leading to Uvira and Bukavu.
At around 14:00, FARDC units “set foot in Kamanyola,” a senior official told ChimpReports , saying M23 fighters had suffered “heavy losses” and were retreating toward Naomo.
“Strategically, we cannot all enter the city right now, but some of our elements are already there,” he said.
The fighting triggered a massive civilian exodus toward the Bugarama–Kamanyola border crossing, where families attempted to flee as gunfire intensified.
Rwandan authorities briefly restricted movement at the frontier, citing security risks, before partially reopening it under tight surveillance. Kigali has not commented publicly but is “closely monitoring the situation,” according to security officials.
Tshisekedi has said the Washington agreement will only take effect if Rwanda withdraws all its forces from Congolese territory—an accusation Kigali denies. Both sides are expected to commit to verification mechanisms intended to address such disputes.
The White House has not released details of Thursday’s ceremony, but U.S. officials say Trump will host the signing alongside representatives from the African Union, regional envoys, and mediators from Qatar.
Diplomats describe the accord as the most significant attempt in years to stabilise eastern Congo, where overlapping security crises—ranging from rebel activity to regional tensions—have drawn in multiple armed actors.
As Kagame and Tshisekedi prepared for the signing, the situation in Kamanyola remained fluid late on Wednesday, with FARDC and Wazalendo militias trying to consolidate positions while civilians continued to flee toward the border.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
(chimp reports)