Congo and Rwanda -backed rebel group M23 on Saturday signed a framework agreement for a peace deal to end decades-long fighting in eastern Congo, but tensions between the two sides remain.
The agreement, which was signed in Doha after mediation by Qatar, is not yet a final peace deal, but rather a framework outlining the protocols and timeline for future discussions, the head of the M23 delegation, Benjamin Mbonimpa, said in a video posted on X.
Mbonimpa said the framework agreement includes eight protocols that address the “root causes” of the conflict. He did not give further details.
“There will be neither any change in the situation on the ground nor any activity whatsoever until the protocols are debated, negotiated and discussed one by one and a final peace agreement is reached,” the head of M23’s delegation said.
A key objective of the framework agreement is the joint management of the rebel-held areas by the Congolese government and M23, a spokesperson for the rebels, Lawrence Kanyuka, told The Associated Press.
Backed by neighboring Rwanda, M23 is the most prominent of more than 100 armed groups fighting for control in Congo’s mineral-rich east. With 7 million people displaced in Congo, the UN has called the conflict “one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth.”
In a major escalation of the decade-long conflict, earlier this year the rebels seized Goma and Bukavu, two key cities in eastern Congo.
Qatar has hosted multiple rounds of talks since April between the Congolese government and the rebels, mainly to set preconditions for a peace deal and agree on confidence-building steps, but both sides still accuse each other of dragging out the conflict.
In July, Congo and M23 signed a declaration of principles in Qatar to end the conflict and commit to a comprehensive peace agreement that would include the restoration of state authorities in key eastern cities controlled by the insurgents and the exchange of prisoners.
The two sides agreed to finalize a peace deal no later than Aug. 18 but missed that deadline, accusing each other of violating peace terms.
In October, the two sides agreed to establish an oversight body for a potential permanent ceasefire.
Massad Boulos, senior adviser to US President Donald Trump, attended the ceremony in Doha on Saturday and called the framework agreement a “starting point.”
“It is only the beginning, but we know the final outcome will be very fruitful,” he said, calling it a “historic” opportunity.
The Trump administration has led mediation efforts between Rwanda, which is accused of backing M23, and Congo, leading to the signing of a peace deal between the two countries in June.
