Doha: DR Congo and Rwanda have moved closer to a ceasefire in Eastern Congo, with both nations tasked to submit a draft agreement aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. The two countries have agreed to foster peace and economic development, setting the stage for drafting a peace deal within a week, as outlined in a new peace agreement signed in Washington on Friday.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the agreement aligns with a declaration of principles signed in Washington a week ago. Delegations from Kinshasa and Kigali have been engaged in discussions in Qatar to resolve their differences. On Wednesday, the US president’s Africa envoy, Massad Boulous, joined representatives from Congo, Rwanda, Togo, and France at the Doha talks.
The anticipated draft deal will address vital issues including territorial sovereignty, the battle against armed groups, the mineral trade, refugee concerns, and the role of international forces, notably MONUSCO. The negotiations come in the wake of Rwanda-backed rebels seizing control of two provincial capitals in eastern Congo earlier this year, which prompted Kinshasa to reconsider its position on dialogue with the M23 group.