Overview
- On July 19 in Doha, Kinshasa and the Rwanda-backed M23 signed a Declaration of Principles committing to a permanent ceasefire and renunciation of hate propaganda and new offensives
- The pact sets a timetable for direct negotiations by August 8 and mandates a comprehensive peace agreement by August 18
- It includes measures for prisoner exchanges, restoration of state authority in rebel-held areas and alignment with the US-brokered Washington Agreement
- The DRC government demands the non-negotiable withdrawal of M23 from cities like Goma, while M23 leaders insist their fighters will remain with local populations
- Qatar and US mediation, endorsed by the African Union, aims to stabilize eastern Congo and unlock Western investment in its mineral-rich provinces