A draft peace agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group proposes restoring government authority in territories currently controlled by the insurgents.
The draft, presented by Qatar, outlines a three-phase process aimed at implementing a ceasefire, releasing prisoners, and eventually returning rebel-held areas to state administration. Both sides are expected to discuss the proposal in Doha in the coming days under international mediation.
Diplomatic sources confirmed the authenticity of the text, though Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi has voiced dissatisfaction with the current draft. Belgium’s Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot said Tshisekedi signaled the need for adjustments before any final agreement could be reached.
M23’s political leader Bertrand Bisimwa said the group remains committed to the Doha Declaration, particularly its provisions on halting hostilities and freeing detainees.
The draft deal follows a U.S. and Qatar-brokered initiative that recently brought Congo and Rwanda to sign a broader peace framework in Washington. Still, mutual accusations of ceasefire violations persist between Kinshasa and the rebels.
The M23 movement has emerged as the most powerful armed group in eastern Congo, capturing the key cities of Goma and Bukavu earlier this year and consolidating control by installing loyal administrators. Their territorial gains add to a crisis that has displaced more than seven million people, with the United Nations calling the DRC’s conflict “one of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies.”