The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group have signed an agreement establishing a framework for monitoring a potential “permanent ceasefire,” marking a significant step toward ending years of conflict in eastern Congo.
According to sources from both sides and a copy of the document obtained by Reuters, the deal represents progress in the Qatar-mediated peace talks, which have been ongoing since April but previously stalled after the parties missed an August 18 deadline to finalise a broader peace accord.
The newly signed ceasefire monitoring agreement is one of two key prerequisites before comprehensive peace negotiations can commence. The first, a prisoner-of-war exchange deal, was concluded in September, although the exchange itself is yet to be carried out.
Congolese government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya confirmed the signing of the agreement on Tuesday. Under its terms, a ceasefire monitoring body will be created, composed of representatives from the Congolese government, M23, and the 12-member International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
This body will be responsible for investigating alleged ceasefire violations and is expected to convene within seven days of its establishment. The United Nations peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUSCO) will serve as an “additional participant,” tasked with providing logistical coordination.
However, M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa had earlier voiced opposition to any operational involvement by MONUSCO, arguing that the mission’s support for the Congolese army made it a “belligerent actor.”
Representatives from the African Union, Qatar, and the United States will also take part as observers, according to the agreement.
Despite the apparent breakthrough, fighting persists in the region. The Rwanda-backed M23 rebels launched a major offensive earlier this year, capturing key cities in eastern Congo and triggering a humanitarian crisis that has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more.
Rwanda continues to deny allegations of supporting M23, insisting that its military operations are purely defensive. However, a UN panel of experts reported in July that Kigali exercises command and control over the rebel movement.
In June, former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration brokered a separate peace deal between Rwanda and Congo, with Trump declaring that “the war is over” and pledging to promote peace and investment in the mineral-rich region.
But the UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region, Huang Xia, told the UN Security Council on Monday that hostilities have resumed despite multiple peace efforts.
“While all these African and international peace efforts are commendable and promising, they have so far failed to deliver on their promises — the agreed ceasefire is not being respected,” Huang said.
“After a brief lull, the parties to the conflict have regrouped and resumed military operations,” he added, underscoring the fragile nature of the peace process.
