Planned peace talks between the Congolese government and M23 rebels, set to take place Wednesday in Doha, have been postponed with no new date confirmed, sources on both sides told Reuters this week.
The meeting was expected to be the first official direct dialogue since M23 forces seized control of eastern Congo’s two largest cities in a lightning offensive that has killed thousands, displaced hundreds of thousands, and stoked fears of a broader regional conflict.
The reasons for the delay remain unclear. As of Monday, neither side had received formal invitations. “It’s simply a matter of organization,” a Congolese official said.
Last month, Qatar unexpectedly hosted Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame for a meeting that ended with both leaders calling for a ceasefire.
The United Nations and several Western governments have accused Rwanda of supplying arms and troops to the ethnic Tutsi-led M23 rebel group—allegations Rwanda denies, insisting its military actions have been in self-defense against Congo’s forces and a Hutu militia linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The M23 rebellion is deeply rooted in post-genocide tensions and the battle for control over eastern Congo’s vast mineral wealth. Forces from Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi are all involved in the fighting, prompting fears of a wider regional war.
While Kinshasa has long resisted negotiating directly with M23—dismissing the group as a proxy for Kigali—a diplomatic source told Reuters that both sides held a low-key meeting in Doha last week, marking their first direct contact in years.
That discreet meeting reportedly paved the way for M23’s withdrawal from the strategic mining hub of Walikale. The U.S. has been actively pressuring both parties to de-escalate and allow nearby mining operations to resume.