Congo peace talks stall as clashes test fragile truce with M23
Efforts to end eastern Congo’s decade-long insurgency are faltering as peace talks with the M23 rebel group stall amid renewed clashes
KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo (MNTV) — Efforts to end eastern Congo’s decade-long insurgency are faltering as peace talks with the M23 rebel group stall amid renewed clashes.
Kinshasa accused M23 of fresh attacks last week in North Kivu province, a mineral-rich region that has been at the center of violence for years. The army warned of retaliation.
M23 denied the charge, saying government forces were the first to breach the July 19 Doha Declaration, which both sides had signed as a confidence-building step.
That declaration was supposed to lead to a full peace deal by Aug. 18, but the deadline passed without agreement.
Negotiators say talks continue in Doha, with mediators circulating a draft text. “Both parties have responded positively and expressed willingness to continue,” a Qatari official told France24.
The conflict has displaced hundreds of thousands, strained Congo’s ties with Rwanda — which Kinshasa accuses of backing the rebels — and destabilized the wider Great Lakes region. Kigali denies the allegations.
Qatar’s involvement underscores the growing role of external partners in African peace efforts. But analysts say progress hinges on both sides holding fire long enough for diplomacy to take root.
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