• Presidents of Congo and Rwanda to sign a peace agreement on December 4 in Washington.
• The deal aims to resolve ongoing violence linked to the M23 rebel group.
• Assurance of peace conditioned on Rwanda's withdrawal of support for the rebels.
• Meeting follows extensive diplomacy led by President Trump.
• Humanitarian crisis deepens amid escalating conflict in Eastern Congo.

The presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, Felix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame respectively, are set to meet on December 4 in Washington to sign a peace agreement aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo. This initiative comes as a result of months of diplomatic efforts led by U.S. President Donald Trump, with the aim of stabilizing the war-affected region and attracting investment opportunities from Western nations, particularly concerning its vast mineral resources, according to Reuters, South China Morning Post, and Africa News.

The confirmation from Tshisekedi follows a series of negotiations, asserting that the peace deal will hinge on Rwanda's withdrawal of support for the M23 rebel group, which has intensified the conflict. Kagame has indicated that achieving lasting peace requires commitment from all parties involved, emphasizing that “until those people concerned are committed to achieve end results,” the process might falter, as highlighted in statements from his office and reported by Reuters and South China Morning Post.

The humanitarian situation has worsened significantly, with the M23 capturing strategic locations including the cities of Goma and Bukavu, thus exacerbating one of the largest humanitarian crises globally. The Congolese government has stressed that the agreement will prevent any integration of M23 fighters into the national army, reinforcing its commitment to territorial integrity as stated by government spokesperson Tina Salama, according to Africa News and Reuters.