Overview
- The DRC government and an M23-led alliance issued a joint statement on Sunday that sets out sequenced steps and timelines for negotiations under the Doha framework.
- They agreed a standard method for reporting alleged ceasefire breaches and created a mechanism to address implementation problems, and a verification mission is due to deploy to Minembwe on Monday.
- Fighting on the ground has continued despite the agreement, with M23 having captured major towns in 2025 and the conflict killing thousands and displacing about 5.3 million people.
- Earlier this month the DRC transferred 15 detainees to the Congo River Alliance and M23 through the ICRC as an implementation step, but disputes over further prisoner releases, sanctions and the timing of political reforms remain unresolved.
- Regional disputes complicate progress because the DRC, the UN and Western governments accuse Rwanda of backing M23 while Kigali denies the claim and points to the FDLR as a security threat.