Trump praises leaders of Rwanda and DR Congo as they sign a peace deal

United States President Donald Trump on Thursday praised the leaders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo for “settling a war that has been going on for decades”.

The televised signing of an agreement to end the conflict in the eastern Congo offered Trump another chance to tout himself as a dealmaker extraordinaire on the global stage.

"These are two men that are doing a great job," Trump said. "They want to get onto other ways of living for their people and they are great leaders."

The ceremony in Washington took place even as there were reports of clashes between the Congolese army and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in South Kivu province.

Rwanda’s Paul Kagame and the Congo’s Felix Tshisekedi offered a hopeful tone as they signed onto the agreement.

“No one was asking President Trump to take up this task. Our region is far from the headlines,” Kagame said. “But when the president saw the opportunity to contribute to peace, he immediately took it.”

“I do believe this day is the beginning of a new path, a demanding path, yes. Indeed, quite difficult. But this is a path where peace will not just be a wish, an aspiration, but a turning point,” said Tshisekedi.

Indeed, analysts say Thursday's deal is not expected to quickly result in peace and may not change the humanitarian crisis on the ground.

The M23 did not attend the Washington meetings and it is not bound by the terms of the Congo-Rwanda agreement.

It has been participating in separate, Qatar-mediated talks with Congo.

Thursday's pact, lauded by the White House as an “historic” agreement brokered by Trump, follows months of peace efforts by the US and partners, including the African Union and Qatar and finalises an earlier deal signed in June.

It will also build on a Regional Economic Integration Framework previously agreed upon that officials have said will define the terms of economic partnerships involving the three countries.

Trump also announced that Washington was signing bilateral agreements with the Congo and Rwanda that will unlock new opportunities for the US to access critical minerals--deals that will benefit all three nations’ economies.