April 25 (UPI) — Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo have agreed to work toward a peace agreement by May 2 after escalating violence in eastern DRC.

On Friday, the two nations signed a Declaration of Principles, pledging mutual respect for sovereignty and halting military support for armed groups.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio convened the two nations’ foreign ministers for the ceremony in Washington, D.C.

“Durable peace comes before economic development,” Rubio said. “It also will allow millions of displaced people to return to their homes to safer communities.”

Signing the pact were DRC Foreign Minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner and Rwanda Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe.

For the United States also on hand were Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, Senior Advisor for Africa Massad Boulos and Troy Fitrell, the U.S. ambassador to Guinea in Africa.

Rubio said signing the pact will open the door for “greater and broader investment, which would bring about economic opportunities and prosperity. And it also will help advance President [Donald] Trump’s prosperity agenda for the world. They call it a win-win for everyone involved.”

Rubuo stressed the importance of peace.

“Having both of my counterparts here, the foreign ministers of these respective countries, demonstrates the beginning of a strong commitment to having the conversations we need to have in order to reach a resolution,” Rubio said. “I’m proud to work for a president that has made peace, stable global peace, a priority of this administration. And today is evidence of that. He wants to see a peaceful resolution in many parts of the world.”

The Declaration builds on efforts by the African Union and other regional leaders.

It outlines a pathway to peace, stability and integrated economic development in the eastern DRC region, “which is vital to ending the conflict and allowing the region to reach its full potential,” according to a State Department release.

“The United States will continue engaging with both nations to uphold the declaration’s principles and support the crucial work towards peace and prosperity.”

Both nations declared their independence from Belgium in the 1960s.

The United States established diplomatic relations with the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 1960, and in 1962 with Rwanda. The populations are 106 million in DRC and 14 million in Rwanda.

In 2023, an estimated 700,000 people were displaced within the DRC due to conflict, primarily in the eastern provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu.

From Janusry to early March, the United Nations refugee agency UNHCR said nearly 80,000 people had fled Congo due to the fighting and sexual violence since January. In all, more than 700,000 have been displaced. A total of 895 cases of rape were reported to humanitarian actors in the last two weeks of February.

“Near the frontlines, sexual violence and human rights abuses remain rampant, as is the looting and destruction of civilian homes and businesses,” UNHCR Deputy Director Patrick Eba said in March 4 statement.

In March from Qatar, the two nations jointly called for a cease-fire in an effort to end warfare between them after 30 years of fighting.

A the time, more than 7,000 people died since January, after the armed rebel group M23 refused to participate in peace talks in Angola.

M23, backed by Rwanda, took control of eastern Congo’s two largest cities and a large piece of other territory in January attacks.

The United States has sought greater access to minerals now exploited maonly by China and its mining companies.