DR Congo, rebels vow to ink peace agreement
(MENAFN) The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and the M23 rebel group have committed to signing a formal peace agreement by August 18, following months of Qatar-mediated negotiations aimed at ending years of escalating violence in the region.
On Saturday, both parties signed a declaration of principles in Doha, outlining a timeline toward peace, as confirmed by Congolese officials, M23 representatives, and the Qatari government.
The agreement includes a pledge from both sides to maintain a permanent ceasefire, prohibiting attacks by land, air, sea, or lake, as well as banning sabotage, hate propaganda, and any attempts to capture new territory through force.
Kinshasa welcomed the declaration as a step forward for lasting peace in eastern DR Congo and expressed gratitude to Qatar for facilitating the talks.
International and regional actors have long urged a ceasefire in DR Congo, particularly after M23 rebels escalated their attacks earlier this year, capturing key mining hubs such as Goma and Bukavu and reportedly causing thousands of deaths. Congolese authorities continue to accuse Rwanda of backing the militants.
In June, Kinshasa and Kigali signed a US-brokered agreement, which US President Donald Trump said secured American access to DR Congo’s mineral resources.
At a press conference alongside Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al Khulaifi, Trump’s senior Africa advisor, Massad Boulos, acknowledged previous peace efforts had failed but described the new Doha declaration as a “rare and valuable opportunity” for lasting peace in DR Congo.
Qatar’s foreign minister said the agreement marked the start of a “new phase of cooperation,” including engagement with other armed groups willing to pursue peace.
While the declaration states that state authority should be restored “across all national territory,” Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya insisted it also requires the “non-negotiable withdrawal” of M23 forces.
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