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.
The Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended former President Joseph Kabila’s political party and ordered the seizure of his assets over allegations of supporting M23 rebels in the country’s conflict-ridden east.
A passenger boat caught fire and capsized late Tuesday on the Congo River, killing at least 50 people and leaving hundreds more missing, officials confirmed Wednesday. The tragedy occurred near the northwestern town of Mbandaka in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Rwandan-backed M23 rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo have withdrawn from the strategic town of Walikale, describing the move as a goodwill gesture ahead of planned peace talks with the government next week.
Thomas Lubanga, a convicted war criminal, has announced the formation of the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CPR) in eastern Congo's Ituri province, posing a new security threat as Congo's army faces advances by Rwandan-backed M23 rebels.
A record 28 million people in the Democratic Republic of Congo face acute hunger, driven by escalating conflict and economic instability, the UN warns. With food insecurity worsening, humanitarian agencies struggle to respond amid funding cuts.
The Philippines faces the lightest blow from Washington’s new tariff regime—just 17 % on average and with a third of its exports exempt—positioning Manila to lure trade and investment diverted from harder-hit neighbours, a Philippine Institute for Development Studies report says.
Bangladesh clinched two World Bank credits worth $850 million on Wednesday—$650 million to overhaul Chittagong’s Bay Terminal and $200 million to strengthen social protection—aiming to cut shipping costs, spur jobs and aid 4.5 million vulnerable citizens.
China has eased foreign investment restrictions by cutting the number of prohibited or limited sectors in its updated 2025 "negative list," as Beijing seeks to boost investor confidence amid growing economic pressures and escalating U.S. tariffs.
India moved swiftly to scale back its diplomatic ties with Pakistan on Wednesday, a day after a deadly militant attack in Kashmir killed 26 tourists, marking the country’s worst civilian massacre in nearly 20 years and escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Japan’s top trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa is set to visit the U.S. for a second round of tariff talks next week, as Tokyo presses Washington to reconsider duties on cars and steel amid firm resistance from the Trump administration.
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The Holy Fire ceremony stands as one of Christianity's most enduring and mysterious rituals, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Jerusalem each year.
Pope Francis's relationship with Azerbaijan has evolved significantly over the years, characterized by diplomatic exchanges, promotion of religious tolerance, and peace advocacy in the Caucasus region.
Severe rainfall on April 17 led to flooding and landslides in the Piedmont region, prompting a large-scale emergency response from over 400 firefighters.
China’s pivot away from U.S. liquefied petroleum gas under new tariffs is shaking global energy flows, slashing demand, and fuelling a scramble for alternatives across Asia, with Middle Eastern suppliers and rival buyers seizing the moment.
The Philippines faces the lightest blow from Washington’s new tariff regime—just 17 % on average and with a third of its exports exempt—positioning Manila to lure trade and investment diverted from harder-hit neighbours, a Philippine Institute for Development Studies report says.
Bangladesh clinched two World Bank credits worth $850 million on Wednesday—$650 million to overhaul Chittagong’s Bay Terminal and $200 million to strengthen social protection—aiming to cut shipping costs, spur jobs and aid 4.5 million vulnerable citizens.
China has eased foreign investment restrictions by cutting the number of prohibited or limited sectors in its updated 2025 "negative list," as Beijing seeks to boost investor confidence amid growing economic pressures and escalating U.S. tariffs.
India moved swiftly to scale back its diplomatic ties with Pakistan on Wednesday, a day after a deadly militant attack in Kashmir killed 26 tourists, marking the country’s worst civilian massacre in nearly 20 years and escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Japan’s top trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa is set to visit the U.S. for a second round of tariff talks next week, as Tokyo presses Washington to reconsider duties on cars and steel amid firm resistance from the Trump administration.
The Philippines faces the lightest blow from Washington’s new tariff regime—just 17 % on average and with a third of its exports exempt—positioning Manila to lure trade and investment diverted from harder-hit neighbours, a Philippine Institute for Development Studies report says.
Bangladesh clinched two World Bank credits worth $850 million on Wednesday—$650 million to overhaul Chittagong’s Bay Terminal and $200 million to strengthen social protection—aiming to cut shipping costs, spur jobs and aid 4.5 million vulnerable citizens.
China has eased foreign investment restrictions by cutting the number of prohibited or limited sectors in its updated 2025 "negative list," as Beijing seeks to boost investor confidence amid growing economic pressures and escalating U.S. tariffs.
India moved swiftly to scale back its diplomatic ties with Pakistan on Wednesday, a day after a deadly militant attack in Kashmir killed 26 tourists, marking the country’s worst civilian massacre in nearly 20 years and escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors.
Japan’s top trade envoy Ryosei Akazawa is set to visit the U.S. for a second round of tariff talks next week, as Tokyo presses Washington to reconsider duties on cars and steel amid firm resistance from the Trump administration.
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