DR Congo, M23 Rebels Agree on Roadmap for Peace Talk

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have agreed on a roadmap to advance peace negotiations after five days of talks in Switzerland.

The agreement was reached under the Doha Framework Agreement, a peace process supported by Qatar and involving several international partners. Switzerland, which hosted the latest discussions, said the parties had agreed on “sequenced steps and timelines” for negotiations.

The negotiations involved delegates from the DRC and M23, with Qatar, the United States, Togo, the African Union Commission and Switzerland also participating.

A key outcome was the creation of a mechanism to review progress and address difficulties in implementing commitments under the Doha framework. The parties also agreed to establish a system for monitoring alleged ceasefire violations.

According to the joint statement issued by Switzerland, the secretariat for the monitoring mechanism has already been established, with an initial verification mission scheduled to take place in Minembwe, South Kivu.

The diplomatic development comes amid continued instability across eastern Congo. Despite previous ceasefire commitments, clashes between M23 fighters and forces aligned with the Congolese government have persisted in parts of North and South Kivu.

M23 has maintained control over significant territory in the region after launching major offensives in early 2025. The group captured Goma, the capital of North Kivu, and later seized Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu, developments that dramatically escalated the conflict.

Several unresolved issues could complicate the implementation of the latest agreement. These include disagreements over sanctions imposed on M23, the release of detainees and the timing of wider political and security measures contained in the peace framework.

Earlier this month, Congolese authorities released 15 prisoners who were subsequently transferred to M23 in an operation facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross. The transfer represented one of the practical steps taken toward implementing the Doha agreement.

The conflict has its roots in decades of political instability, ethnic tensions and armed competition in the Great Lakes region. Relations between Kinshasa and Kigali remain particularly strained.

Rwanda has accused the DRC of failing to neutralize the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group linked to the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Congolese authorities deny supporting the organisation and accuse Rwanda of providing military assistance to M23.

Eastern DRC is also home to deposits of minerals such as coltan, tin and gold, resources that have contributed to competition and armed activity in the region.

The latest roadmap offers a diplomatic opening, but its success will depend on whether the parties can translate commitments reached at the negotiating table into a sustained reduction in violence on the ground.