Kinshasa, Nov 3 (IANS) — Peace negotiations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group will resume next week in Doha, Qatar, President Felix Tshisekedi announced. The DRC presidency said Tshisekedi reaffirmed his commitment to resolving the conflict in the eastern provinces through political and diplomatic channels, while safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Doha has served as the primary platform for dialogue between Kinshasa and the M23 for several months. In July, both sides signed a Declaration of Principles in Doha, outlining a roadmap that included launching negotiations by August 8 and concluding a peace agreement by August 18. However, those deadlines have since lapsed without progress.
Tshisekedi, who arrived in Doha on Sunday to attend the Second World Summit for Social Development from November 4–6, praised Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for his continued mediation efforts. The presidency did not clarify whether Tshisekedi himself will join the upcoming discussions.
The M23, now part of the political-military Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), has tightened its grip on parts of eastern DRC since re-emerging in 2021. The United Nations reports that over 2.4 million people have been displaced this year, pushing the total number of internally displaced to nearly 6 million amid a worsening humanitarian crisis.
