A fresh peace framework has been signed between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the M23 rebel group, marking another attempt to end the long-running conflict in eastern Congo.
The agreement was formalised during a ceremony held on Saturday in Doha, Qatar.
This deal adds to several documents signed in recent months as part of US- and Qatar-supported efforts to halt the decades-old crisis that has taken countless lives and displaced hundreds of thousands of people this year alone.
Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi, said the agreement puts both sides on a hopeful road toward lasting peace.
“Peace cannot be achieved through force, but through trust, respect, and real commitment,” he said.
US officials explained that the framework contains eight protocols, with discussions still underway on how six of them will be carried out.
Qatar has hosted the dialogue between the parties since April. Earlier milestones include a declaration of principles signed in July and an agreement in October concerning the monitoring of an eventual ceasefire.
The Trump administration has played a leading role in mediating between Rwanda, accused of supporting M23 and Congo, which led to a peace deal between both countries in June.
Despite these diplomatic moves in Washington and Doha, violence on the ground in Congo has carried on. On Friday, local authorities reported that up to 28 people were killed by Islamic State-linked fighters in North Kivu province.
Back in January, M23 rebels captured Goma, the largest city in eastern Congo, and continued advancing across both North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.
