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Mediation

Draft Agreement to End Fighting in DRC Shared with Government and Rebels

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A draft agreement to bring an end to fighting between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group has been shared with both parties, according to a Qatari official involved in mediation efforts. The agreement comes ahead of an August 18 deadline, agreed upon last month between Kinshasa and the Rwanda-backed rebel group, to reach a peace deal. Despite the deadline not being met, both parties have expressed a willingness to continue negotiations.

Key Takeaways:

  • A draft agreement to end fighting between the DRC and the M23 has been shared with both parties, as per a Qatari official involved in mediation efforts.
  • The agreement comes ahead of an August 18 deadline, which was agreed upon last month between Kinshasa and the M23 rebel group.
  • Both parties have responded positively to the facilitator and expressed a willingness to continue negotiations, despite the deadline not being met.
  • The roadmap in the Declaration of Principles signed on July 19 in Qatar had called for negotiations to begin by August 8 with a final deal reached by August 18.
  • Since taking up arms again at the end of 2021, the M23 armed group has seized control of land in eastern DRC with Rwanda's backing, triggering a humanitarian crisis.
  • The DRC army has accused the M23 of carrying out multiple attacks against its positions in the east of the country, threatening the fragile ceasefire.
  • More than two million people have fled violence since January in the provinces of North and South Kivu, where the M23 is active, according to the United Nations.

Statistics:

  • 2 million people have fled violence since January in the provinces of North and South Kivu, where the M23 is active, according to the United Nations.
  • The M23 has seized control of land in eastern DRC with Rwanda's backing, triggering a humanitarian crisis.

Sources:

  • Voice of Nigeria, "Qatari official: Draft agreement to end DRC, M23 fighting shared with both parties" (18 August 2025)

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