Trump senior Africa adviser discussed peace plan with Rwanda, Congo leaders

By Daphne Psaledakis

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's elder advisor for Africa said connected Thursday helium spoke with the presidents of Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo astir a draught bid woody this week, arsenic Washington seeks to extremity a decades-long struggle successful the region.

The United States is awaiting last feedback owed this play from Rwanda and Congo connected the draught agreement, Massad Boulos told Reuters successful an interrogation successful Washington.

He added that determination whitethorn inactive beryllium amendments and adjustments, but helium hopes it tin beryllium concluded successful coming weeks.

The Trump administration, which has sought to onslaught bid accords successful aggregate regions and prioritized U.S. entree to captious minerals, has been seeking to extremity the struggle successful a portion affluent successful tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper and lithium.

Boulos said helium spoke with Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi to interaction base, adding that they were pleased with the advancement that had been made.

"It was precise affirmative from some of them," Boulos said. "They're some looking guardant to moving with america and with the Qataris and with the African Union towards achieving a last solution that volition springiness lasting peace."

Congo and Rwanda earlier this period submitted a connection arsenic portion of a process meant to extremity the warring successful eastbound Congo and pull billions of dollars of Western investment. Boulos said they worked connected the drafts and came up with the existent one.

AWAITING FEEDBACK

"We are awaiting the last feedback from some parties," Boulos said connected Thursday.

"As soon arsenic we finalize this past round, arsenic indicated before, Secretary Rubio is acceptable and prepared to big them here. So we anticipation this tin beryllium concluded arsenic rapidly arsenic imaginable successful the coming fewer weeks," helium said, referring to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Boulos said that determination was nary circumstantial timeline for the overseas ministers to sojourn DC.

Earlier this month, helium told Reuters that Rubio would conscionable successful Washington successful mid-May with the Rwandan and Congolese overseas ministers successful an effort to hold connected a last draught bid accord.

The diplomacy comes amid an unprecedented beforehand by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels successful eastbound Congo that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more.

The rebels seized Goma, eastbound Congo's largest city, successful precocious January and Bukavu, the area's second-largest, weeks later.

The United Nations and Western governments accidental Rwanda has provided arms and troops to M23. Rwanda denies backing the radical and says its subject has acted successful self-defense against Congo's service and a militia founded by perpetrators of the 1994 genocide.

Tshisekedi's authorities is engaged successful abstracted talks with M23 facilitated by Qatar.

Last period Congo and the rebels agreed to enactment towards peace, but sources successful the 2 delegations person expressed vexation with the gait of negotiations.

(Editing by Robbie Corey-Boulet and Andrew Heavens)