A new round of negotiations between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) Government and the M23 rebel group is expected to take place in Doha, Qatar, as diplomatic efforts intensify to resolve the protracted conflict in the eastern DRC.
The announcement was made on July 3 by Freddy Kaniki, Deputy Coordinator of the Congo River Alliance (AFC)—a politico-military coalition allied with the M23—during a press conference in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province. Although no date was specified, this will mark the fifth round of talks facilitated by Qatari mediation.
The dialogue process, which began in March 2025, has yielded cautious optimism, particularly following a joint ceasefire commitment between Kinshasa and the M23 in April. AFC Permanent Secretary Benjamin Mbonimpa confirmed that some progress was made during a June meeting with the UN mission head in the DRC, Bintou Keita. However, the situation on the ground remains fragile, with M23 rebels still present in parts of eastern DRC despite diplomatic overtures and a recent peace accord signed between the DRC and Rwanda in the United States.
While the peace agreement has been welcomed as a potential turning point in the Great Lakes region, critics note that it does not explicitly address the M23’s continued presence, leaving key questions unresolved. The United Nations reports that more than 27.8 million people in the DRC face food insecurity, with over 7 million internally displaced due to ongoing violence. As talks resume in Doha, regional and international stakeholders are watching closely to see whether this round of negotiations can deliver a sustainable roadmap to peace.