Doha/Kinshasa (Agencies) July 19, 2025: The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have signed a landmark ceasefire agreement in Doha, Qatar, aimed at halting months of intense fighting in the country’s mineral-rich eastern provinces. The deal, formalized through a Declaration of Principles, follows three months of Qatari-mediated negotiations and builds on a separate Congolese-Rwandan peace accord signed in Washington last month.
The agreement commits both parties to a permanent cessation of hostilities, including refraining from hate propaganda and any attempt to seize new territory by force. It also outlines a roadmap for restoring state authority in rebel-held areas and sets the stage for formal peace negotiations to begin by August 8, with full implementation of the ceasefire terms expected by July 29.
The M23 rebel group, which launched a rapid offensive earlier this year capturing strategic cities such as Goma and Bukavu, had demanded a separate ceasefire deal with Kinshasa, arguing that the Washington agreement failed to address key grievances2. Thousands were killed and hundreds of thousands displaced during the campaign, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis in the region.
Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya emphasized that the deal respects DRC’s core conditions, including the non-negotiable withdrawal of M23 from occupied areas and the re-establishment of national institutions and armed forces in those zones.
The African Union welcomed the accord as a “major milestone” toward lasting peace and stability in the Great Lakes region, which has endured decades of conflict fueled by ethnic tensions, regional rivalries, and competition over natural resources.
While previous ceasefire agreements have faltered, observers hope the Doha accord—backed by international mediation and regional diplomacy—will pave the way for a durable resolution to one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts. Presidents Felix Tshisekedi of DRC and Paul Kagame of Rwanda are expected to meet in the coming months to solidify the broader peace framework.