DR Congo Government and M23 Agree on Roadmap for Peace Talks | Ukraine news

After years of conflict, a fragile diplomatic opening has emerged—but fighting and unresolved demands still threaten to derail the next step.

The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have agreed on a roadmap to begin peace talks. The agreement was the result of five days of consultations in Switzerland.

The participants confirmed their readiness to continue dialogue in order to achieve comprehensive peace in the DRC. Separately, the sides agreed to establish a mechanism to monitor compliance with the ceasefire.

The parties agreed to establish a mechanism tasked with reviewing progress and addressing problems in fulfilling commitments under the Doha Framework Agreement.

– the joint statement said

Roadmap for Peace Talks Between the DRC and M23

The agreed plan sets out a schedule for further negotiations under the peace agreement brokered by the United States in 2025. At the same time, fighting continues in eastern DRC, where armed conflict has persisted for decades.

The parties still need to find solutions to several key issues. These include sanctions against M23, the release of detainees, and the timeline for political reforms.

Representatives of M23, the DRC government, Qatar, the United States, the Republic of Togo, the African Union Commission, and Switzerland took part in the consultations.

Ceasefire Monitoring in South Kivu

To document possible ceasefire violations, the parties established a secretariat for the monitoring mechanism. The first meeting of the verification commission is planned in Minembwe, an area of South Kivu province affected by the fighting.

Clashes in North and South Kivu continue, while the DRC government and M23 keep accusing each other of violating the agreements reached. The conflict is also unfolding amid strained relations between the DRC and Rwanda, which signed a U.S.-brokered peace agreement in Washington in June.