Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Africa Subcommittee, attended the signing ceremony of a peace agreement between Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda President Paul Kagame. The event took place at the Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace and included President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, other U.S. officials, and foreign dignitaries.
Smith praised the agreement, known as the “Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity,” crediting President Trump’s efforts in negotiating an end to decades of conflict between Rwanda and the DRC. “Skillfully and brilliantly brokered by President Trump, this momentous peace deal—known as the ‘Washington Accords for Peace and Prosperity’—signifies an end to the lengthy, bloody, and costly conflict in the region,” Smith said.
He highlighted that people in the DRC have faced years of violence, instability, humanitarian crises, displacement, and human rights abuses. Smith added: “The unstable situation in the DRC has developed into one of the largest and most complex humanitarian crises in the world. Under President Trump’s strong leadership, we are now taking the necessary steps to end the violence and agony that has ravaged the region.”
President Trump acknowledged Smith’s ongoing work on issues related to central Africa during his remarks at the ceremony. In 2008, Smith led a four-day mission focused on human rights in Goma, DRC; topics included human trafficking, child soldiers, sexual violence, and support for peace negotiations.
Smith has overseen 13 congressional hearings on conflict between Rwanda and DRC. Notably, actor Ben Affleck testified at a 2011 hearing about eastern Congo initiatives. Another hearing chaired by Smith in 2012 reviewed humanitarian challenges in eastern Congo as well as U.S. policy toward ending regional violence.
Smith expressed appreciation for administration officials: “I am enduringly grateful to President Trump for his unwavering commitment to promoting and securing peace throughout the globe, and I extend my deepest thanks to his Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, as well as his Senior Advisor for Arab and African Affairs, Massad Boulos.”
He also stated: “I look forward to working alongside President Trump and his extremely effective administration to watch the peace process unfold and ensure that the leaders of the DRC and Rwanda are honoring the terms of the agreement.”
Chris Smith has served New Jersey’s 4th district in Congress since 1981 after replacing Frank Thompson. He was born in Rahway in 1953; he is currently 70 years old and lives in Manchester Township. He graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor of Science degree.
