7/19/2025–|Last update: 03:02 (Mecca time)
Four sources said, on Friday evening, that “the Democratic Congo agreed to sign a declaration of principles with the March 23 Movement (M23) to end the fighting in the east of the country.”
This is an indication of progress after Qatar’s mediating over months in talks between the two parties, but there is still a need to negotiate the details.
The announcement is expected to be signed today, Saturday, in Doha, amid intense American pressure to conclude agreements that would bring peace in the eastern Congo and open the way to attracting billions of dollars from Western investments to the mineral rich area.
In March, Qatar mediated a sudden meeting between Congolese President Felix Chisicidy and his Rwandan counterpart, Paul Kagame, during which he called for a “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire.
In April, the two sides pledged to work to reach a ceasefire. However, sources in both delegations expressed their frustration with the pace of negotiations and the lack of progress in confidence -building procedures.
On Friday, a source from the Congo said, “The American pressure is very strong,” noting that Massad Paul, the chief adviser to President Donald Trump for African Affairs in Doha.
