The Washington Accords mark a real breakthrough after three decades of stalled diplomacy in the Rwanda-DRC crisis. Even as clashes persist, Trump injected the decisive energy needed to move parties toward binding commitments, securing a durable ceasefire, structured disarmament, monitored refugee returns and regulated access to critical minerals. It is an imperfect yet pivotal start to a long, demanding process that finally offers a credible path to regional stability.
Trump's peace deal was doomed from the start because it failed to address the core issues driving the conflict. The accord ignored the role of militias like M23 and lacked enforcement mechanisms, allowing Rwanda to continue covert support while the DRC maintained hardline positions neither side could back militarily. Without sustained high-level engagement and real consequences for violations, this superficial dealmaking was destined to collapse immediately.
ThereThe isWashington Accords mark a 60real percentbreakthrough chanceafter thatthree decades of stalled diplomacy in the DemocraticRwanda-DRC Republiccrisis. ofEven Congoas willclashes experiencepersist, Trump injected the decisive energy needed to move parties toward binding commitments, securing a civildurable warceasefire, beforestructured 2036disarmament, accordingmonitored refugee returns and regulated access to thecritical Metaculusminerals. predictionIt communityis an imperfect yet pivotal start to a long, demanding process that finally offers a credible path to regional stability.
Trump's peace deal was doomed from the start because it failed to address the core issues driving the conflict. The accord ignored the role of militias like M23 and lacked enforcement mechanisms, allowing Rwanda to continue covert support while the DRC maintained hardline positions neither side could back militarily. Without sustained high-level engagement and real consequences for violations, this superficial dealmaking was destined to collapse immediately.
There is a 60% chance that the Democratic Republic of Congo will experience a civil war before 2036, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
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