If this peace deal is signed, it might not hold.
Meanwhile, DRC security will remain distant. Outside of M23 rebels and their allies, and any Rwandan troops in the DRC, there are several other rebel groups for Kinshasa to deal with, including the ISIS-affiliated ADF terrorist group (a.k.a ISIS–Central Africa). Estimates are that there are between 120 and 140 rebel groups in the DRC.
Now to Erik Prince and his company’s mineral and PMSC DRC interests; In mid-April, there were reports that Prince struck an agreement with the beleaguered DRC to help the country ‘Focus on boosting tax collection, cutting cross-border smuggling.’ (If Prince sends in PMSCs to help protect mineral interests and to help stop smuggling, he will have his work cut out for him.) The agreement came amidst US talks over a mineral partnership with the DRC. And, coincidentally, this is all happening while the State Department pushes for a peace deal between the two enemies. It all connects. See Reuters report below:
Exclusive: Trump supporter Prince reaches deal with Congo to help secure mineral wealth: https://www.reuters.com/world/trump-supporter-prince-reaches-deal-with-congo-help-secure-mineral-wealth-2025-04-17/
and
Addendum, 05 May:
There are reports that “Blackwater” (or whatever Erik Prince company name/entity being used) are already deploying to the DRC. The first team has arrived in Walikale. They will secure a tin mine run by ALPHAMIN.
The source says that up to 6,000 PMSCs will be deployed. I find that number to be high, but let’s see what happens.
–RdM
Opinions expressed in the RedState article below are those of the contributors.*
RedState — Essex Files: U.S. Brokers Historic Congo-Rwanda Peace Accord With Billion-Dollar Investment Boost
In a major win that was very unexpected, President Donald Trump is showing why he’s the dealmaker. In a promising step toward regional stability and economic growth, the United States is spearheading an ambitious initiative to bring peace and unprecedented investment to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. According to Massad Boulos, Trump’s senior advisor for Africa, the White House is set to host a landmark signing ceremony in approximately two months, where a peace accord and transformative bilateral mineral agreements will be finalized, unlocking billions in Western investment for the mineral-rich region, helping resolve a conflict that has been off and on since the early 1990s.
Speaking in Doha, Qatar, Boulos shared an optimistic vision for the initiative, which aims to end decades of conflict in eastern Congo while fostering economic prosperity through strategic partnerships. The plan includes simultaneous agreements with the DRC and Rwanda, tailored to each nation’s unique resources and potential. “The (agreement) with the D.R.C. is at a much bigger scale, because it’s a much bigger country and it has much more resources, but Rwanda also has a lot of resources and capacities and potential in the area of mining as well … not just the upstream, but also midstream and downstream to processing and refining and trading,” Boulos said. These agreements are expected to attract significant investments from U.S. and Western companies, eager to support mining operations and infrastructure development once the deals are signed.
To read more, see: https://redstate.com/brad-essex/2025/05/04/essex-files-us-brokers-historic-congo-rwanda-accord-with-billion-dollar-investment-boost-n2188664
Great piece…..
In that Great Lake Region, there seems to be an approximately a 9-month cycle that one of the parties is going to break the agreement…..It’s like a pregnancy; something comes out and all hell breaks loose…..
The big question is; How to create a stable and secure environment that has challenged the region for 30 over years. We shall have to see how Mr. Prince and his PMC handle the obstacles in Eastern DRC, both the known and unknown….Lots of surprises.
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast” Peter Drucker
I agree. I just replied to someone on LinkedIn who reposted a post of mine about the US deal and Prince’s PMCs deal for mineral security and anti-smuggling. I wrote:
“Honestly, I can see this being a good deal for both the DRC and the US. After all, the DRC wants to sell the minerals, don’t they? Otherwise the minerals and resources could go to China or Russia or some other country.
This deal has geopolitical and practical angles; The US will now focus on increasing manufacturing in the US and increasing production related to the defence industry.It wants less dependency on China. This deal will help keep the Chinese in check who are raping African resources; and it will be especially a barrier to the Russians and The Africa Corps (TAC) PMCs wanting a foothold in the DRC.
However, like you, I have reservations about the peace deal itself. Even if it gets signed, will it hold? If so, for how long? Months? Ten years?
Tribalism and greed are strong motivators for war, especially in this war with M23. About Rwanda, because Kigali is macevalian, he might want to pursue gold and mineral interests covertly or through denial by using proxies in the DRC, regardless.
Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
LI link:
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7325210015579971584?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7325210015579971584%2C7325215581450731522%29&replyUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7325210015579971584%2C7325223667808817152%29&dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287325215581450731522%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7325210015579971584%29&dashReplyUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287325223667808817152%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7325210015579971584%29
I agree ….It’s very complex due to the amount of players in this game.