High stakes in Washington as Ruto backs historic Great Lakes peace pact

President William Ruto has departed Nairobi for Washington, D.C., following an invitation from U.S. President Donald J. Trump to witness what is being described as a landmark peace breakthrough in the Great Lakes region.

The trip marks one of Ruto’s most significant diplomatic engagements this year, bringing together the leadership of Kenya, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at a moment when regional tensions remain delicate.

While State House has framed the visit as a historic opportunity, some observers may question whether Washington is the ideal setting for resolving an African conflict.

Even so, the move signals the increasing internationalisation of the DRC–Rwanda tensions and Kenya’s growing role as a diplomatic broker.

Ruto will join Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and DRC President Félix Tshisekedi to witness the signing of the DRC–Rwanda Peace Agreement, a deal State House says represents the most significant breakthrough in addressing decades of conflict in Eastern DRC.

The conflict, driven by militia activity, regional proxy dynamics and long-running grievances between Kinshasa and Kigali, has resisted multiple interventions.

Previous attempts, notably the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes, made limited progress, often falling apart due to mistrust between the parties or renewed hostilities on the ground.

By bringing the deal to Washington, mediators appear to be betting on global pressure to ensure compliance.

The signing is expected to pave the way for disarmament, demobilisation of armed groups, enhanced humanitarian access, and long-term stabilisation.

Kenya has increasingly positioned itself as a mediator in regional security crises, from Sudan to Eastern Congo.

Ruto has consistently framed Kenya as an anchor state with both the moral and strategic responsibility to stabilise its neighbourhood.

According to State House spokesperson Hussein Mohamed, the Washington signing brings together all key parties and is expected to unlock pathways for disarmament, demobilisation, humanitarian access, and long-term stabilisation.

Beyond the peace agreement, Ruto’s visit includes a set of bilateral engagements focusing on trade, investment, health cooperation and security.

One of the centrepieces of the trip will be the signing of the Kenya–U.S. Health Cooperation Framework, which State House describes as a shift from a donor-driven model to a sustainable partnership led by the Kenyan government.

The new framework aims to support Kenya’s goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and strengthening a self-reliant national health system by 2030.

State House notes that the agreement will shift the 25-year partnership to a sustainable, government-led model aimed at advancing Universal Health Coverage and supporting a self-reliant health system by 2030.

While this is a positive pivot, it also raises the question of whether Kenya is fully ready to shoulder more responsibility within a system already strained by budget cuts, health worker shortages and infrastructural gaps.

Ruto is expected to highlight Kenya’s long-term economic transformation blueprint, particularly the focus on human capital development, large-scale irrigation, agro-industrial expansion, infrastructure growth, and increased dam construction.

The President will pitch Public–Private Partnership (PPP) investment opportunities to American investors, especially in energy, agriculture, and infrastructure.

According to Hussein Mohamed, the President will outline Kenya’s new economic transformation agenda towards a first-world economy, positioning the country as a future hub for regional industry and innovation.