President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) will attend a U.S.-hosted Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, D.C., on February 4, a meeting that presents a key opportunity to reinvigorate the stalled Washington Accords. The December 2025 agreement, mediated by the United States between the DRC and Rwanda, outlined a path to end the conflict in eastern Congo through mutual troop withdrawals, ceasefires, and joint economic projects on critical minerals. However, implementation has been limited, with fighting persisting and civilians continuing to suffer.
The accord has faltered amid reciprocal accusations of non-compliance. The M23 armed group, widely reported to be backed by Rwanda, maintains control over significant territories in North and South Kivu rich in gold, tin, coltan, and other minerals. While M23 fighters withdrew from the town of Uvira in January, a corresponding meaningful withdrawal of Rwandan forces has not occurred. Attacks on civilians in the region persist, and United Nations experts state the M23 continues to expand its control over mines and smuggle resources to Rwanda for export.
Parallel talks with the M23, recently resumed in Doha, have progressed slowly. The humanitarian toll was underscored by a January 28 landslide at the Rubaya coltan mine, which the M23 has controlled since 2024. Heavy rains caused the collapse of artisanal mining shafts, killing more than 200 people, including women and children, many of whom were buried alive.
During the ministerial, U.S. officials and regional partners should urge concrete steps from both the DRC and Rwanda. This includes ensuring robust civilian protection mechanisms, establishing independent monitoring of any troop movements, and pursuing accountability for serious international crimes committed by all parties. This encompasses abuses by the Rwandan-backed M23 as well as by Congolese government-aligned militias, such as the Wazalendo. Without addressing the culture of impunity for unlawful killings, forced displacement, and child recruitment, the Washington Accords risk joining previous failed peace efforts.
The conflict’s entanglement with the global supply chain for critical minerals—essential for electronics and renewable energy technologies—adds urgency to the U.S. diplomatic engagement. Sustained American pressure is necessary to translate the accords’ signatures into tangible security and justice for the people of eastern Congo. The summit thus represents a pivotal moment to demand action, not just renewed promises.
