DR Congo, M23 armed group sign ceasefire deal

DR Congo, M23 armed group sign ceasefire deal

The deal signed in Qatar comes after months of conflict between the Congolese government and M23 that has killed thousands of people in eastern DRC

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda-backed armed group M23 signed a ceasefire deal on Saturday to end fighting that has devastated the country's mineral-rich but conflict-torn east.

The two sides signed a declaration of principles whose terms include a "permanent ceasefire", after three months of talks in Qatar.

It follows a separate peace deal between the Congolese and Rwandan governments signed in Washington last month.

Rich in natural resources, especially lucrative minerals, eastern DRC has been wracked by conflict for more than three decades, creating a humanitarian crisis and forcing hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

Thousands were killed in a lightning offensive by the M23 in January and February, in which the group seized vast swathes of territory, including the key provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu.

In the agreement signed in Doha, the warring parties agreed to "uphold their commitment to a permanent ceasefire", including refraining from "hate propaganda" and "any attempt to seize by force new positions".

The deal includes a roadmap for restoring state authority in eastern DRC, and an agreement for the two sides to open direct negotiations toward a comprehensive peace agreement.

Congolese presidential envoy Sumbu Sita Mambu and M23 permanent secretary Benjamin Mbonimpa shook hands after signing the deal at a ceremony in the Qatari capital.

The M23 had insisted on seeking its own ceasefire deal with Kinshasa, saying the DRC-Rwanda deal signed in Washington in June left out various "problems" that still needed to be addressed.

The two sides said the new deal aligned with the Washington agreement, which US President Donald Trump at the time called the start of "a new chapter of hope and opportunity" for the region.

The African Union hailed the new agreement as a "significant development", saying: "This... marks a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace, security, and stability in eastern DRC and the wider Great Lakes region."

- 'Red lines' -

Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said the deal took account of the DRC's "red lines", including "the non-negotiable withdrawal of the M23 from occupied areas followed by the deployment of our institutions", including the armed forces.

He said the comprehensive peace agreement would follow "in the coming days".

The two sides agreed to implement the deal's terms by July 29 at the latest, and to start negotiations toward a comprehensive agreement by August 8.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi are due to meet in the coming months to solidify the Washington peace deal, whose terms have not yet been implemented.

Questions remain over an expected side deal on economic issues, after Trump boasted of securing mineral wealth in the vast central African nation.

Tshisekedi said in April he had discussed a deal for access to the DRC's mineral wealth with US special envoy Massad Boulos.

Boulos, who was at the signing ceremony in Doha, called the restoration of the Congolese government's control over its eastern territory "one of the most important clauses" in the new deal.

But "we know that there are no magic solutions" to end the conflict, "especially regarding the timeline", he told a news conference.

Previous ceasefire agreements for eastern DRC have collapsed in the past.

Neighbouring Rwanda denies providing military backing to the M23, but UN experts say the Rwandan army played a "critical" role in the group's offensive, including combat operations.

The front line has stabilised since February, but fighting was still breaking out regularly between the M23 and multiple pro-government militias.

burs/jhb/rmb