DR Congo and M23 rebels sign framework for peace in Qatar

M23 rebels backed by Rwanda and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed a framework for peace in the east of the country.

The ceremony was held in Qatar, which is trying with the United States and the African Union to mediate an end to decades of conflict in the resource-rich region.

Earlier this year, the M23 captured the two main cities of Goma and Bukavu in the eastern region. Previous attempts to secure peace have failed.

The US envoy to Africa, Massad Boulos, said that the document includes eight protocols and that most of them still need work. He also admitted that prisoner exchanges and ceasefire monitoring had been slower than originally expected.

Kinshasa demands the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from its territory.

Kigali says this could happen once the FDLR rebel militia based in Congo is disbanded. It is largely composed of ethnic Hutus associated with the 1994 Rwandan genocide.

Agence France-Presse quoted Boulos as saying that the new framework also addresses the possibility of humanitarian access, the return of displaced persons, and the protection of the judiciary.

The agreement is based on the Declaration of Principles that the two sides signed in Doha in July, as well as an agreement reached in the same city last month on eventual ceasefire monitoring.

Before that, in June, talks between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo brokered by Washington resulted in the signing of a peace agreement that US President Donald Trump hailed as a “glorious victory” but it was. It was quickly violated by the warring parties.

The M23 movement is one of the largest parties in this conflict, but it did not participate directly in the ceasefire agreement brokered by the United States. It has long favored Qatar-brokered talks, saying they would address the “root causes” of the conflict.

The decades-long conflict escalated in January when M23 rebels took control of large parts of eastern DRC, including the regional capital Goma, the city of Bukavu and two airports.

Since January, thousands of people have been killed and hundreds of thousands of civilians forced from their homes.

After losing territory, the government in Kinshasa turned to the United States for help, reportedly offering it access to critical minerals in exchange for security guarantees. Eastern DRC is rich in coltan and other resources vital to the global electronics industries.

Rwanda denies supporting the March 23 Movement Despite overwhelming evidenceIt insists that its military presence in the region is a defensive measure against threats posed by armed groups such as the FDLR.