The leaders of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) and Rwanda are set to sign a peace deal aimed at ending the long-running conflict in the region at a summit hosted by US President Donald Trump in Washington.
Ahead of the summit, there has been an escalation in fighting in resource-rich eastern DR Congo between government forces and rebels believed to be backed by Rwanda.
DR Congo's army accused its rivals of attempting to sabotage the peace process, but the M23 rebels said the army launched an offensive in breach of a ceasefire.
At the start of the year, the M23 seized large parts of eastern DR Congo in an offensive that claimed thousands of lives.
DR Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame have exchanged insults in recent years, each blaming the other for the conflict.
Trump had previously facilitated a peace accord between the two nations in June, celebrating it as a significant victory.
Despite being optimistic, some analysts doubt the new agreement will yield stable peace, given the ongoing tensions and lack of a ceasefire.
Both leaders are expected to endorse the agreement, with several other African and Arab leaders expected to attend the signing ceremony.
