Congo and M23 Rebels Agree to Form Ceasefire Monitoring Body

The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 have agreed to create a joint body to monitor a future permanent cea...

The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda-backed rebel group M23 have agreed to create a joint body to monitor a future permanent ceasefire - a step seen as crucial to ending years of violence in the country's east.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday in Doha after mediation by Qatar, Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said on X.

M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka confirmed the signing and called it "a significant advancement".

The body will oversee the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, investigate reports of violations and help prevent renewed fighting, Qatar's foreign ministry said in a statement.

It will include representatives from Congo, M23 and the 12-country International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. Observers from Qatar, the African Union and the United States will also take part, while the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo, Monusco, will provide logistical support.

Qatar's foreign ministry described the move as "a pivotal step toward enhancing confidence-building and moving forward toward a comprehensive peace agreement".

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Wider peace talks

The agreement marks progress in months of Qatar-mediated talks after the two sides missed an 18 August deadline to finalise a peace deal.

Doha has hosted several rounds of discussions since April, focusing on restoring trust and setting the conditions for a lasting truce.

The ceasefire monitoring body was one of two steps required before broader peace talks could begin. The other was a prisoner exchange deal signed in September, though the exchange itself has not yet happened.

In July, Congo and M23 signed a declaration of principles in Doha aimed at ending the conflict and restoring government control in eastern cities now held by the rebels.

Both sides blamed each other for missing the August deadline to complete a full peace agreement.

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Years of violence

The M23, also known as the March 23 Movement, is one of more than 100 armed groups fighting for control in eastern Congo. The group launched a new offensive in 2022 and has seized several towns since then.

Backed by neighbouring Rwanda, the rebels say they are protecting Congolese Tutsis from ethnic attacks. Rwanda denies supporting M23, but UN experts reported in July that Kigali's army played a "critical" role in the group's operations.

Fighting between M23 and Congo's army has displaced about 7 million people. The UN has described the situation as "one of the most complex and serious humanitarian crises on Earth".

Qatar has hosted repeated mediation efforts in recent months, working alongside the African Union and regional partners to keep both sides at the table. Despite those efforts, clashes continue in several parts of North Kivu province, forcing more families to flee.

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Ongoing fighting

On Tuesday, the Congolese army accused M23 fighters of killing 39 civilians in Rutshuru territory between 6 and 12 October.

UN special envoy for the Great Lakes region Huang Xia told the Security Council this week that "the agreed ceasefire is not being respected".

He said that after a short lull, "the parties to the conflict have regrouped and resumed military operations".

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