President Félix Antoine Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo has pledged to nominate Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize, if he succeeds in ending the war in Congo.
Tshisekedi made this statement in an exclusive interview with Hariana Verás Victória, a journalist permanently accredited to the U.S. Presidency in Africa.
President Trump’s administration has recently intensified efforts to end the three-year-long war between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group. On Friday, Kinshasa is expected to sign a peace agreement with Rwanda, which is accused of backing the rebel group.
The peace deal will be signed by the foreign ministers of both countries in Washington, D.C., United States.
Tshisekedi views the upcoming peace agreement as a solution to a conflict that has lasted over 30 years in eastern Congo.
He said: “There is nothing unusual about this agreement. It symbolizes the U.S. administration’s recognition of a conflict that has lasted nearly 30 years and cost millions of lives.”
Tshisekedi stated that the war in his country is not solely a military conflict, but also an economic one that must be addressed.
He explained that when he came to power in 2019, he approached neighboring countries — Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda — proposing economic cooperation. However, he claimed that Rwanda chose instead to wage war against his country.
Asked about his trust in Trump as a key player in the peace agreement, Tshisekedi said he has great confidence because Trump declared it himself, and he represents the most powerful country in the world.
He also reaffirmed that he is ready to support Trump in receiving the Nobel Peace Prize if he manages to end the war in Congo once and for all.
He said: “If this unjust war ends — a war that has killed hundreds of thousands, possibly even more than those killed in World War II — then if Trump is able to end it through his mediation, he will truly deserve the Nobel Prize. I will be the first to nominate him.”
Trump recently posted on his social media that he deserves the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts in resolving global conflicts, including the one between the DRC and Rwanda.
