U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, December 4, 2025, hosted Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi in Washington as his administration pressed for a breakthrough in one of Africa’s most volatile conflicts — even as fresh fighting continued in eastern Congo.

The two leaders reaffirmed an economic integration compact agreed last month and formally signed a U.S.-brokered peace deal first announced in June but never implemented.

Agreements, the Washington Accords for Peace and Security, covering critical minerals, security cooperation, and economic partnerships, were also signed.

For Washington, the meeting was part of a renewed diplomatic blitz as the Trump administration attempts to demonstrate global leadership. But for many in the region, the timing feels out of step with reality on the ground.

A Peace Deal While War Rages

Hours before the two presidents arrived in Washington, clashes erupted between Congo’s army and the M23 rebel group in South Kivu, according to Reuters, underscoring how far the region remains from lasting peace.

M23, widely believed to be backed by Rwanda — a claim Kigali denies — seized the two largest cities in eastern Congo earlier this year in an offensive that raised fears of a regional war.

In Washington, Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya blamed the latest violence on M23, calling it “proof that Rwanda doesn’t want peace.” The rebel group, which is not attending the U.S. talks and is not obliged to respect the agreement, accused Congolese troops of bombing civilian areas.

Both sides have repeatedly accused each other of violating ceasefires renewed just last month.

Diplomacy With High Stakes

The Trump administration argues that its push has helped stop the fighting from spiraling further. A senior U.S. official said the new signing “recommits the parties to the peace process” and follows months of pressure from President Trump, who told Kagame and Tshisekedi the “status quo was unacceptable.”

Still, analysts caution that the deal lacks mechanisms to address the conflict’s core drivers — from resource control to political grievances — and risks being overshadowed by the scramble for minerals central to global battery supply chains.

That view is shared by Dr. Denis Mukwege, the Congolese Nobel Peace Prize laureate known for his work with survivors of wartime sexual violence. Speaking from Paris, he questioned the sincerity of the process.

“For me, it is clear that this is not a peace agreement,” he said. “The proof: this morning, in my native village, people were burying the dead while a peace agreement was being signed. The M23 continues to seize territory.”

Symbolism in Washington

Ahead of Thursday’s meeting, Trump’s name was added to a sign outside the United States Institute of Peace, the government-created nonprofit where the deal is being signed. The move drew attention in Washington, as the administration earlier this year attempted to wrest control of the institute from its leadership.

For Trump — whose foreign policy record has drawn a mix of praise and criticism — the Congo-Rwanda summit adds to a list of high-profile interventions since returning to office. He has scored wins, including a deal in Gaza, but continues to face domestic pressure over inflation and cost-of-living concerns.

What Comes Next?

Whether Thursday’s agreements will shift dynamics in eastern Congo remains deeply uncertain. The peace deal still excludes M23, the main fighting force. The economic integration compact may help create long-term incentives for cooperation, but only if hostilities decrease.

For millions of civilians caught in the conflict, the signing ceremony in Washington offers little immediate relief. The humanitarian crisis — from displacement to reports of sexual violence — continues to worsen with each round of fighting.

The real test, regional observers note, will be whether Kagame and Tshisekedi can turn U.S. pressure into political will at home — and whether Washington’s push for stability aligns with the needs of a region where minerals, militias, and mistrust have fueled conflict for decades.

The United States has signed a landmark bilateral health agreement with Kenya, marking the first major step in the Trump administration’s new America First Global Health Strategy.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the deal in Washington on Thursday, December 4, 2025, after hosting Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi.

The agreement, which Rubio described as a model for dozens of similar compacts expected “in the coming weeks,” is designed to shift how U.S. global health assistance is delivered.

Instead of funneling large portions of aid through NGOs and parallel structures, the new approach pushes resources into Kenya’s national health system — and requires the Kenyan government to co-invest significantly in return.

Rubio said the pact “supports Kenya’s leadership in charting its own health priorities” by bolstering data systems, procurement capacity, and modernization efforts needed for long-term self-reliance. The deal also sets out performance benchmarks intended to ensure accountability on both sides.

For Kenya, the agreement represents both an opportunity and a test: more direct control over health financing, but also greater responsibility for meeting targets without the insulation traditionally provided by donor-run programs. For Washington, it is a key example of how the administration wants to reshape foreign assistance — tightening oversight, reducing what Rubio called “dependency, ideology, inefficiency, and waste,” and moving partner nations toward financial and operational independence.

Global health experts will be watching closely.

The shift away from NGO-dominated systems could help strengthen national capacity if executed well, but it also risks straining public health operations in countries where government systems remain uneven. Kenya, however, has made significant reforms in recent years, and officials in Nairobi have repeatedly signaled their desire for more direct funding and clearer lines of accountability.

Rubio said he expects “several more agreements” to be finalized soon, positioning the Kenya compact as the first in a new wave of bilateral health deals intended to “strengthen the foreign assistance architecture” under the America First doctrine.

As Africa continues navigating post-pandemic pressures — from supply chain vulnerabilities to rising infectious disease threats — the U.S.–Kenya partnership will serve as an early test of whether the administration’s reworked global health strategy can deliver both efficiency and impact.

Kenya has just made the dream of “coming home” a lot more real.

At a packed launch inside Nairobi Serena Hotel, the government officially rolled out the Journey Back to Eden (JBE) Initiative, a structured pathway for African Americans, Afro-Caribbeans, and long-lost Kenyans abroad to visit, invest, and eventually settle back on the continent.

The partnership pairs three ministries (Tourism & Wildlife, Foreign Affairs, and the Kenya Tourism Board) with Traverze Culture, an African-American-owned relocation company led by CEO Kea Wakesho Simmons.

Tourism Principal Secretary John Lekakeny Ololtuaa put it plainly: “Kenya is ready to receive you. This is not just tourism. This is family coming home.”

Traverze is bringing serious muscle: curated 7- and 12-day immersion trips that go far beyond safaris, real estate tours in Nairobi and the coast, medical tourism packages, investment briefings, and even school visits so families can picture life here. The Aga Khan Development Network is on board for healthcare and education support, while Tuua Safaris handles the on-ground experience.

Simmons didn’t mince words about the economic upside. “African Americans alone have $1.6 trillion in annual spending power,” she said. “When the diaspora moves even a fraction of that wallet home, entire communities change.”

For many in the room, the moment felt personal.

Ghana’s Year of Return showed the world what happens when a country says “welcome home” and actually means it, tourism boomed, land was bought, businesses opened, hearts healed.

Kenya is now stepping into that same lane, but with government muscle and private-sector polish. If JBE delivers even half of what it promises, Nairobi and Mombasa could soon feel a lot more like Brooklyn and Brixton, in the best possible way.