Kinshasa: Rwandan-backed M23 rebels 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 along with the US and the African Union, has been trying to mediate an end to decades of conflict in the resource-rich region.
According to BBC, the M23 rebels earlier this year captured the eastern region’s main cities of Goma and Bukavu. Previous attempts to secure peace have failed. The US’s Africa envoy, Massad Boulos, stated that the document covered eight protocols, with most still requiring work. He also acknowledged that prisoner exchanges and ceasefire monitoring had been slower than initially hoped.
Kinshasa is demanding the withdrawal of Rwandan troops from its territory. Kigali, on the other hand, says this can happen once the Congo-based FDLR rebel militia, largely made up of ethnic Hutus linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, is disbanded.
The new framework also addresses humanitarian access, the return of displaced people, and protection of the judiciary, as mentioned by Boulos and quoted by the AFP agency. It builds on a declaration of principles signed by the two sides in Doha in July, as well as a deal made in the same city last month on the monitoring of an eventual ceasefire.
Prior to this, in June, talks between Rwanda and DR Congo brokered by Washington resulted in the signing of a peace deal. However, this deal was swiftly violated by the warring parties. The M23, one of the main parties in this conflict, was not directly involved in the US-brokered ceasefire deal and has always favored the talks mediated by Qatar, stating they will address “the root causes” of the conflict.
The decades-long conflict escalated in January when M23 rebels seized control of large parts of eastern DR Congo, including the regional capital, Goma, the city of Bukavu, and two airports. Since January, thousands have been killed, and hundreds of thousands of civilians have been forced from their homes.
Following the loss of territory, the government in Kinshasa turned to the US for assistance, reportedly offering access to critical minerals in exchange for security guarantees. Eastern DR Congo is abundant in coltan and other resources crucial to the global electronics industry.
Despite overwhelming evidence, Rwanda denies supporting the M23 and insists its military presence in the region is a defensive measure against threats posed by armed groups like the FDLR.