DRC, M23 rebels pledge in Qatar to reach peace deal next month

TimesLIVE

3 days ago

The rebel group M23, in the latest of a series of uprisings, has controlled Goma, eastern DRC's largest city, since late January and has also made gains across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
Rwanda has long denied allegations that it has helped M23, which has seized more territory in DRC than it has ever previously held. The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a full-scale regional war. Several of DRC's neighbours had troops deployed in eastern DRC when the advance began.
Qatar's minister of state for foreign affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi said at a news conference Saturday's declaration "lays the groundwork for a new phase of partnership among the various components of society in the Democratic Republic of the Congo — including armed movements that have chosen to prioritise the greater national interest".
It was brought about by talks that followed a surprise meeting between Tshisekedi and Kagame, brokered by Qatar in March, during which they called for an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire.
DRC had previously rejected the idea of holding talks with M23, branding it a terrorist group.
While denying it has supported M23, Rwanda has said its forces have acted in self-defence against DRC's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
POINTS OF CONTENTION
Sources in both delegations have expressed frustration with the pace of negotiations in Doha and the lack of progress on confidence-building measures including the release of M23 members held by DRC and the re-opening of banks in rebel-held territory.
The declaration of principles does not resolve those issues, instead committing the parties to "creating the necessary conditions" to eventually do so.
It also does not address bigger questions concerning the possible Rwandan and M23 withdrawals from eastern DRC. It says DRC and M23 agree state authority should be restored "on all national territories" as part of an eventual peace agreement but does not give details.
DRC government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya nevertheless said on X on Saturday that the declaration "takes into account the red lines we have always defended, including the non-negotiable withdrawal" of M23.
Negotiations for a peace agreement are to start no later than August 8, according to the declaration, which would give the parties less than two weeks to finalise a deal if they stick to their new August 18 deadline.
"We are confident and we are hopeful," Massad Boulos, Trump's senior adviser for Africa, told Reuters after Saturday's ceremony in Doha, adding that Tshiskedi and Kagame "have both committed to resolving this".