United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Washington, DC, to reinforce the importance of Iraqi sovereignty for regional security. The two leaders explored avenues for expanding economic cooperation, aiming to increase trade and investment between the United States and Iraq. Rubio praised Iraq for hosting the US Department of Commerce-designated trade mission in Baghdad, which resulted in billions of dollars in agreements with American companies.

Separately, Rubio oversaw a significant diplomatic step in Africa, facilitating the signing of a pledge between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda to work toward a durable peace agreement. This initiative is expected to ease US access to critical minerals in eastern DRC, vital for various industries. Rubio emphasized that achieving lasting peace would attract greater US and Western investment, fostering economic opportunities and prosperity across the region. He noted that the development advances President Donald Trump’s broader global prosperity agenda.