The Presidents of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame of Rwanda have called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Eastern Congo following their first meeting since the M23 rebel group intensified its offensive in January. The Presidents made the appeal during a meeting in Doha on Tuesday, mediated by Qatar’s Emir. A joint statement issued after the talks said the ceasefire should be “immediate and unconditional”. In a statement on Wednesday, AU Chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf commended the two countries “for their commitment to dialogue” and urged all parties to “maintain the momentum”. The regional body “remains resolute in its support for African-led solutions to African challenges. The Doha discussions, held in a spirit of constructive engagement, align with these efforts and complement ongoing regional mechanisms,” Youssouf said.
The leaders issued a statement that called for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire”, details of whose implementation will be clarified “in the coming days”.
Peace talks between Congo and Rwanda were unexpectedly canceled in December after Rwanda made the signing of a peace agreement conditional on a direct dialogue between Congo and the M23 rebels, which Congo refused at the time.
After being dormant for more than a decade, the group resumed its offensive in eastern DRC in 2022 and escalated its attacks in January, seizing the strategic city of Goma, followed by Bukavu in February.
M23 is one of more than 200 armed groups vying for control over territory in the eastern DRC, which is rich in precious minerals such as cobalt. The Congolese government, the United States, and a group of United Nations experts accused Rwanda of backing M23, an allegation that Kigali denies.
War in the eastern DRC has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises with nearly 7 million people, including at least 3.5 million children, according to the UN.
