DR Congo, M23 rebels sign framework deal in Doha as violence continues in the east

The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group signed a framework agreement on Saturday in Doha, aiming to halt the fighting in eastern Congo that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands this year, Reuters reported.

The deal is the latest in a series of documents backed by the United States and Qatar to resolve Congo’s decades-long conflict, which has repeatedly threatened to spill over into a regional war. US and Qatari officials called the framework an important step, but noted that much more work remains.

US envoy Massad Boulos said the agreement contains eight protocols, but the two sides still need to finalise how to implement six of them. He also admitted there had been delays in carrying out the first two protocols — the prisoner exchange and ceasefire monitoring — which had been agreed earlier.

More from World

Why Trump and Biden turned to similar strategies to soothe cost-of-living concerns 'At no time I issued an order': Sheikh Hasina on killings of 2024 protesters | Firstpost Exclusive

“Yes, they were a little bit slow in the first few weeks,” he said. “Yes, people were expecting to see probably some immediate results on the ground, but this is a process… This is not a light switch that you just switch on and off.”

Meanwhile, M23 — in the latest of actions backed by Rwanda — seized Goma, eastern Congo’s largest city, in January and has since advanced across North Kivu and South Kivu. Rwanda continues to deny any support for M23, even as the group holds more territory than ever before.

Despite months of diplomacy in Washington and Doha, violence in Congo has not stopped. Local officials reported on Friday that Islamic State-aligned militants killed as many as 28 people in eastern North Kivu.
Qatar has hosted several rounds of talks since April, mostly focused on preconditions and confidence-building steps.

Quick Reads

View All

'At no time I issued an order': Sheikh Hasina on killings of 2024 protesters | Firstpost Exclusive

Venezuela seeks deeper cooperation with India in critical minerals sector

In July, the parties agreed on a declaration of principles, leaving major issues unresolved, and in October they reached a deal on monitoring a future ceasefire.

Announcing Saturday’s agreement, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi said, “Peace cannot be enforced by force, but is built through confidence, mutual respect and sincere commitment.”