The peace agreement signed in June 2025 between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), brokered by the Trump administration, initially seemed to offer a glimmer of hope for DRC devastated by three decades of war and unimaginable suffering. However, a new Policy Brief from the Oakland Institute reveals that instead of securing lasting peace for the Congolese people, the deal is poised to benefit corporate and financial interests eager to access the country’s vast mineral wealth.

Profit off Peace? Meet the Corporations Poised to Benefit from the DRC Peace Deal exposes how the deal could further enrich Western mining firms with dubious records around human rights violations, environmental damages, and financial crime – in addition to billionaires like Bill Gates, Marc Andreessen, Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk and mercenary Erik Prince. It examines the deep connections between Trump and several of the key players set to profit, raising legitimate concerns over the influence of business and foreign interests on Trump’s international agenda.

The Policy Brief echoes Congolese civil society’s serious concerns that the deal will entrench a centuries-long cycle of colonization rather than provide peace and allow local communities to benefit equitably from their resources.

Read the Report

Top Photo: The DRC and Rwanda signed the peace agreement in Washington D.C. on June 27, 2025. Credit: U.S. Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.