DR Congo, M23 sign Doha deal to monitor ceasefire

The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel movement signed an agreement in Doha on Tuesday to create a mechanism that will monitor and verify a prospective permanent ceasefire, in a step the government called crucial to implementing July’s Declaration of Principles. The talks were mediated by Qatar and observed by representatives of the United States, the African Union and the UN mission in Congo (MONUSCO).

The new body will include delegates from Congo, M23 and the 12-nation International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and is expected to convene within days to investigate alleged violations and communicate with parties to prevent a relapse into fighting. MONUSCO will provide logistical support.

Kinshasa said the move “constitutes a major step” toward enforcing the July 19 principles, and reaffirmed its aim to halt hostilities, protect civilians and prepare conditions for a comprehensive peace accord under the Doha process.

Despite successive commitments, clashes have continued in North and South Kivu with each side accusing the other of breaches. Humanitarian needs remain severe, with millions displaced by the conflict since M23 re-emerged in 2021.

M23 welcomed the agreement as “a significant advancement” and said full implementation by Kinshasa would create the calm needed to address core grievances and improve civilian protection.

Background: Qatar has hosted Congo–M23 talks since April. M23 and allied groups have seized swathes of territory during a 2025 offensive; independent reporting says the rebels captured major urban centers earlier this year, deepening the crisis.

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