Doha: A Qatari official has revealed that a draft agreement to end the ongoing conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group has been shared with both the government and the rebels. The mediation efforts are seen as crucial in bringing peace to the region.
According to Voice of Nigeria, the official involved in the mediation stated, “We recognise the challenges on the ground and hope they can be overcome promptly through dialogue and genuine commitment.” This development comes just before an 18th August deadline, previously agreed upon between Kinshasa and the Rwanda-backed rebel group, to finalize a peace deal.
The Qatari official noted that although the initial timeline was not met, “both parties have responded positively to the facilitator and expressed a willingness to continue negotiations.” The roadmap for peace, outlined in the Declaration of Principles signed on 19th July in Qatar, had called for negotiations to commence by 8th August and for a final deal to be reached by the following Monday.
The M23 armed group, with support from Rwanda, has been active since the end of 2021, capturing significant territories in eastern DRC and precipitating a severe humanitarian crisis. Earlier this year, the M23 escalated the conflict by taking control of key cities such as Goma and Bukavu, establishing their own administrations in these areas.
The Qatari official emphasized that Qatar is “currently hosting an important session of negotiations in Doha aimed at following up on the implementation of the declaration and finalising an agreement.” However, neither Kinshasa nor the M23 have made any public comments regarding the latest developments.
On the ground in eastern DRC, violence has persisted and even intensified since 8th August, particularly around the town of Mulamba, which had seen relative stability since March. The Congolese army has accused the M23 of launching “multiple attacks” against its positions in the eastern region, thereby threatening the already fragile ceasefire.
The conflict has led to the displacement of more than two million people since January in the North and South Kivu provinces, areas where the M23 operates, as reported by the United Nations.