The Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels issued identical statements on Wednesday pledging to pursue peace after more than a week of talks in Qatar, where violence and mutual distrust dominated the agenda.
“Both parties reaffirm their commitment to an immediate cessation of hostilities,” the statement read. It also condemned hate speech and intimidation, calling on local communities to uphold peace efforts.
But frustrations remain. Sources from both sides said talks were slowed by disputes over confidence-building measures—especially the release of Congo-held prisoners linked to M23 and Rwanda.
“They are asking for too much,” said a Congo government source.
“Our justice system is independent. Some people must pay.”
A source from the rebel coalition said the issue derailed efforts toward deeper negotiations. The delegations left Doha earlier this week.
Despite that, diplomats say Qatar pushed both parties to agree on the joint statement, raising faint hopes of progress in a conflict that has lasted decades.
M23 launched an unprecedented advance in January, seizing eastern Congo’s two largest cities. The offensive killed thousands and raised fears of a wider regional war.
Qatar’s mediation follows a surprise meeting it brokered last month between Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Both called for a ceasefire. It was the first step toward direct dialogue between Kinshasa and M23—long dismissed by Congo as a terrorist group.
Rwanda denies backing the rebels. Congo, the UN, and Western governments say otherwise.
On Wednesday, a UN source confirmed fresh fighting in Walikale, a strategic mining hub that M23 vacated earlier this month in what it called a goodwill gesture.
“This is a crucial step towards ending the violence,” Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said.
Still, no date has been set for further talks.
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The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel group signed a framework agreement on Saturday (15 November) for a peace deal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict in eastern DR Congo, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands this year.
The UN Human Rights Office said on Friday that armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, including M23 rebels and government forces, committed serious violations that may amount to war crimes, citing killings, rapes and torture.
When Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militants stormed her village in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, Maman Soki lost her daughter, sister, and neighbours.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has begun negotiations with European leaders over Greenland and that an agreement is already taking shape.
Dmitry Medvedev, said European countries have failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine and have instead inflicted serious economic damage on themselves, as he criticised EU policy, praised Donald Trump as a leader who seeks peace, and said Russia would “soon” achieve military victory in the war.
The United States accused Cuba of interfering with the work of its top diplomat in Havana on Sunday (1 February) after small groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and church representatives.
Heavy snow continued to batter northern and western Japan on Saturday (31 January) leaving cities buried under record levels of snowfall and prompting warnings from authorities. Aomori city in northern Japan recorded 167 centimetres of snow by Friday - the highest January total since 1945.
A daylight robbery at a jewellery shop in Richmond, one of London’s most affluent and traditionally quiet districts, has heightened security concerns among residents and local businesses.
Paris prosecutors have summoned X chairman Elon Musk and former chief executive Linda Yaccarino for questioning in April as part of their probe into the X social media network, they said on Tuesday.
Ukraine has agreed with Western partners on a plan under which repeated Russian violations of any future ceasefire would trigger swift, co-ordinated military responses by Europe and the United States, the Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
Emergency teams in eastern China are racing to locate survivors after a bridge under construction collapsed in Jiangsu province, leaving two people dead and three missing.
Mexico said it will stop sending oil to Cuba as U.S. President Donald Trump ramped up pressure on the Caribbean nation.
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