The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group are poised to sign an immediate ceasefire agreement in Qatar later today, according to officials familiar with the negotiations. The deal, which follows three months of high-level talks in the Gulf nation, will be formalised in a Declaration of Principles between Kinshasa and the Rwandan-backed rebels.
The M23, which launched a rapid offensive in January and February 2025, seized large areas of the mineral-rich eastern DRC, including key provincial capitals Goma and Bukavu. The latest ceasefire agreement comes after the group’s Rwandan allies signed a separate peace agreement in Washington last month, with the M23 demanding direct negotiations with the Congolese government.
According to an official briefed on the talks, the Declaration of Principles will include provisions for an immediate cessation of hostilities, a framework to commence formal negotiations on a broader peace agreement, and the creation of a mechanism to oversee a permanent ceasefire.
A roadmap for the restoration of government authority in eastern DRC will also form part of the agreement, outlining steps to reintegrate the contested territories under Kinshasa’s control once a peace accord is finalised.
Eastern Congo has been engulfed by conflict for more than three decades, with cycles of violence forcing hundreds of thousands from their homes and creating one of the world’s longest-running humanitarian crises. Thousands have died during the M23’s recent resurgence, and despite relative calm since February, sporadic clashes continue between the rebels and pro-government forces.
If successful, the Qatar-brokered ceasefire could mark a significant step toward lasting stability in a region long plagued by insecurity.
