Post by : Meena Ariff

Photo: AFP

Former U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda has been successfully negotiated in Washington. The agreement, aimed at ending long-standing conflict in eastern DRC, will be officially signed next week.

Trump proudly shared the news on his social media platform, calling it a "great day for Africa and a great day for the world." The deal was reached after three days of talks between the two nations, who have often been at odds over violence and unrest near their border.

However, Trump’s excitement turned to frustration as he spoke about not being recognized by the Nobel Peace Prize committee. He mentioned his past efforts to help ease tensions between India and Pakistan, Serbia and Kosovo, and Egypt and Ethiopia, as well as his role in the Abraham Accords — agreements that aimed to bring peace between Israel and Arab nations.

Trump said he believes he deserves credit for keeping peace in these regions. He also said that during his 2024 campaign, he promised to end wars quickly — like those in Ukraine and Gaza — though those conflicts continue.

Leaders from DRC and Rwanda confirmed they had reached an agreement and will sign it in Washington on June 27. The two countries have had troubled relations for decades, especially in the eastern DRC, where violence from armed groups like M23 has caused serious problems since 2021.

Trump, who has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize several times, has openly said he is unhappy about not winning. He even spoke about it during a recent meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

He also criticized former President Barack Obama, who won the Nobel Prize in 2009, saying he didn’t deserve it.

While Trump celebrates this new peace agreement, the world is watching to see if it will hold and bring real change to a region that has suffered from conflict for so many years.