The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels agreed to a ceasefire in eastern DR Congo until peace talks mediated by Qatar reached their conclusion. This marked the latest truce since the rebels launched a major offensive in January, during which approximately 7,000 people were reported killed.
Foreign Ministers from DR Congo and Rwanda joined U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a signing ceremony in Washington, DC for a Declaration of Principles pledging to “acknowledge each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity” and “generate an initial draft Peace Agreement” for review by May 2.
Both sides described the negotiations as “frank and constructive” and jointly pledged to work towards peace, reaffirming a commitment to an immediate cessation of hostilities and a rejection of hate speech and intimidation.
In March, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan leader Paul Kagame reaffirmed their commitment to an “unconditional” ceasefire, after having direct talks in Qatar.
The decades-long conflict has intensified since M23 launched an unprecedented offensive in January, capturing Goma and Bukavu, eastern Congo’s two largest cities, and sparking fears of a wider regional conflict. DR Congo accuses Rwanda of arming and supporting the M23 rebels. Despite assertions from both the UN and the U.S., Rwanda denied supporting M23.
