In a tentative step toward peace, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group have agreed to establish a joint international mechanism to monitor a long-delayed ceasefire, despite continued fighting in the country’s war-torn east.
The deal, signed in Doha after months of Qatari mediation, aims to provide independent oversight of ceasefire compliance. The new mechanism will include equal representation from the DRC government and M23, with additional input from the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). Observers will include Qatar, the United States, and the African Union. The mechanism, known as the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism, will investigate violations, issue weekly bulletins, and coordinate rapid responses to prevent renewed hostilities. MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, will assist with logistics.
Despite the agreement, fighting persists. Over seven million people have been displaced, and M23 — widely believed to be backed by Rwanda — continues to hold strategic territory in North and South Kivu, including Goma and Bukavu. M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka called the agreement a “significant advancement,” while Kinshasa reaffirmed its commitment to ending hostilities and protecting civilians. Yet both sides missed an earlier peace deadline in August and accused each other of ceasefire violations. The UN’s special envoy for the Great Lakes region, Huang Xia, warned this week that the violence remains unabated: “The agreed ceasefire is not being respected.” The mechanism’s first meeting is expected within days.