![Democratic Republic of the Congo President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, meet with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha, Qatar [Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Handout via Reuters]](https://businessday.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Untitled-design-52-1.png)
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group, which is allegedly backed by Rwanda, have declared a ceasefire following negotiations held in Doha, Qatar. This agreement marks a significant step toward ending the ongoing conflict, which has seen a surge in violence since M23’s January offensive and capture of key Congolese cities.
The announcement came late Wednesday through a joint statement, signalling the first time Kinshasa has agreed to direct dialogue with M23, a group it had previously refused to engage. The talks appear to have laid the groundwork for further negotiations, offering hope that the prolonged unrest may finally begin to ease.
Read also: Congolese, Rwandan presidents hold talks in Qatar, push for Eastern DRC cease-fire.e
The roots of the M23 rebellion trace back to the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. The group is composed largely of ethnic Tutsi fighters, many of whom were previously integrated into the Congolese army before defecting, citing unfulfilled deals and ethnic discrimination.
Although several ceasefire agreements have been made since 2021, all have eventually unravelled. The renewed fighting since January has claimed thousands of lives and heightened fears of a wider regional conflict. The DRC, supported by the United Nations and Western governments, has accused Rwanda of backing M23 with military support—a claim Kigali continues to deny.
Read also: An African War in the Congo.
Despite the latest agreement, sources from both the DRC government and M23 expressed frustration to Reuters about the sluggish pace of negotiations. Contentious issues, including the possible release of prisoners allegedly linked to M23 and Rwanda, nearly jeopardised the ceasefire deal. However, Qatari mediation ultimately succeeded in securing a commitment from both parties to continue working toward peace.
Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prevost hailed the development as a “crucial step” toward ending the violence. Additional, more in-depth negotiations are anticipated in Doha in the coming weeks.
Another informed source quoted by the AFP news agency said a “deeper round of discussions” was expected in Doha in the coming weeks.
