The Us Oversees A Peace Pledge For East Congo, Hoping To Ease Its Access To Critical Minerals

Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday oversaw the signing by Congo and Rwanda of a pledge to work toward a peace deal that would ease U.S. access to critical minerals in resource-rich eastern Congo , bringing U.S. influence to bear in a minerals trade that has helped fuel conflict that has killed millions for three decades.

Rubio's participation in the Washington ceremony with his Central African counterparts is an early step in what the Trump administration says is a rebuilding of U.S. foreign policy to focus on transactions of direct financial or strategic benefit to the United States.

Congo and Rwanda hope the involvement of the United States - and the incentive of major investment if there's enough security for U.S. companies to work safely in east Congo - will calm the fighting and militia violence that have defied peacekeeping and negotiation since the mid-1990s.

The risk is that the United States becomes involved in or worsens the militia violence, corruption, exploitation and rights abuses surrounding the mining and trade of east Congo's riches.

"A durable peace ... will open the door for greater U.S. and broader Western investment, which will bring about economic opportunities and prosperity," Rubio said, adding that it would "advance President Trump's prosperity agenda for the world."