Kenya has welcomed the newly signed deal between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to respect each other’s sovereignty and come up with a draft peace deal by May 2, 2025.

The deal was signed by the two countries’ foreign ministers in Washington, with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also present.

According to the two nations, the deal is expected to pave the way for conflict resolution and an eventual ceasefire that had rendered some parts of eastern DRC uninhabitable.

Kenya Commends US

In a statement on Saturday, April 26, 2025, Kenya, through Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Korir Sing’Oei, welcomed the latest developments.

He lauded US leadership for overseeing the process, which he insisted was key to silencing the guns.

Korir maintained that Kenya had always advocated for dialogue through the Nairobi process, which was led by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, before it was merged by the Luanda process following a joint summit between the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC).

“We commend the United States government for its leadership in securing this milestone- a critical building block for peace, stability, and shared prosperity in Eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.

“Our efforts have sought to realise through dialogue, a permanent restoration of friendly relations between Rwanda and the DRC through the Luanda track. Equally, Kenya has been steadfast in support of direct engagement between the DRC and M23, particularly under the Nairobi process,” Korir stated.

He further argued that the same approach would help resolve the conflict in Sudan.

“Glad that this approach, that is now underway in Doha, has a real chance of success. It is the same approach- dialogue- that we believe, the Sudanese conflict can be resolved.”

Marco Rubio’s take

The deal was signed in the presence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday, April 25, 2025. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos, and Ambassador Troy Fitrell also joined Secretary Rubio on this occasion.

“The Declaration builds on the efforts of the African Union and other regional leaders. It outlines a pathway to peace, stability, and integrated economic development in the eastern DRC region, which is vital to ending the conflict and allowing the region to reach its full potential. The United States will continue engaging with both nations to uphold the declaration’s principles and support the crucial work towards peace and prosperity,” the US stated.