Last Tuesday, April 22, 2025, there was a big concert in Paris – Solidarite Congo, in solidarity for the victims of war in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The concert featured some of Congo’s finest artists and from other African countries as well: Gims, Bisso na Bisso, Moise Mbiye, Dadju, Youssoupha, Singuila, Sidiki Diabate, Fally Ipupa and many others. It was a real success considering how much it had been torpedoed by the Rwandan government.

Last week also, on April 25, 2025, we saw the Foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda, Therese Kayikwamba Wagner and Olivier Nduhungirehe, respectively, under the mediation of the United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio sign a “Declaration of Principles.” This is an agreement which aims at restoring peace, stability, and economic cooperation in eastern DRC. Thus, the DRC and Rwanda agreed to draft a peace deal by May 2. As we have said countless times, these treaties should be made public so that the future of our nations is not signed away without our consent [African Governments should make Contracts Public to their Populations!]!

Some of the key points of this declaration of principles are : 1) mutual recognition – both nations pledge to respect the territorial integrity of the other and its sovereignty : not sure why both, since the Rwanda of Paul Kagame has always been the aggressor and the one not respecting and violating the DRC territory and people. 2) End the support to armed group, thus committing both governments to halt military support for non-state armed groups – again, not sure why both when we all know that Rwanda is the culprit. 3) Humanitarian efforts with the return of the displaced populations – how? when the culprits have not even been openly named? 4) Economic cooperation – the US will facilitate investments in infrastructure, mining, and regional trade – the US have always been in the great lakes region funding Rwanda against the DRC under Clinton and subsequent governments; what will change now? 5) Security coordination with the MONUSCO and joint forces – how can someone trust this organization of the United Nations which has produced zero results in over 30 years in eastern DRC?

As you can see, the treaty does not mention the culpability of Rwanda. How can the DRC sign a treaty which does not even state that the other party is guilty? What sort of a peace is that if the aggressor does not even acknowledge its crime? How can the rapist and its victim sit at the same table and they both talk of both pledging for peace? How? Over the past few months, the pressure was mounting from all sides on the Rwandan side which was running on its last cards; and then DRC signed this?

We are told that the treaty will come out tomorrow May 2. If this is what will be in there, then the people of the DRC, and all of Africa have marched for Congo for … nothing, and once again the people have been betrayed? Qui vivra verra!