Doha: Signing of a peace agreement between the Congo and the March 23 Movement.

A peace agreement is being signed in Doha today, Saturday, between a delegation from the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and representatives of the March 23 rebel movement. This follows a round of negotiations between the two parties, held in the Qatari capital and continuing since early July under Qatari sponsorship.

According to Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Qatari Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al-Khulaifi is scheduled to hold a press conference to announce the agreement, the signing of which was postponed to Saturday at the last minute instead of Friday.

The Al-Araby Al-Jadeed report noted that "this is not the first time Doha has hosted a round of negotiations between the Congolese government and the March 23 Movement. It has previously hosted several rounds of negotiations aimed at reaching a ceasefire and ending the armed conflict in eastern Congo. Qatar has not officially announced this round of negotiations, reflecting its approach of conducting negotiations behind closed doors."

The Doha round of negotiations witnessed a debate on security, political, and economic issues between the Congolese government and the March 23 Movement.

While Kinshasa demanded that the movement's fighters withdraw from the areas it controlled and hand them over to the authorities, M23 demanded clear guarantees for the disarmament or demobilization of its fighters, a general amnesty for the movement's members by the Congolese government to avoid prosecution, their reintegration into the Congolese army or their absorption into state institutions, and their political participation. The movement also demanded a national dialogue on local governance that would guarantee its representation and contribution to the development of the regions in which it operates, as well as the equitable distribution of national resources.

Qatar's mediation continues

It's worth noting that Congo and Rwanda signed a peace agreement in Washington in late June, under US sponsorship and with Qatari participation. The agreement stipulated the establishment of a joint security coordination body to monitor progress. Both sides pledged to cease support for rebels in both countries. It also included a commitment by both sides to "cease hostilities and reject hate speech."

Doha hosted negotiations between the two countries several months ago as part of Qatari mediation efforts to de-escalate the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The conflict followed the March 23 Movement, which is backed by Rwanda according to Congo's accusations, seizing control of major cities such as Goma and Bukavu since last January, killing thousands and displacing hundreds of thousands.

The first direct talks between the two sides since the March 23 Movement (M23) took control of cities in eastern Congo were held in Doha last April. This followed the movement's withdrawal from the strategic town of Walikale as a gesture of goodwill. This was preceded by a summit held in Doha last March between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, mediated by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The summit paved the way for the peace agreement signed in Washington late last month.

The roots of the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo date back to the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, when thousands of Hutus accused of involvement fled to Congo and founded the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). From this conflict, the March 23 Movement, which primarily comprises Tutsi elements, later emerged.