The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 armed group have agreed on a roadmap for peace talks, according to a joint statement published Sunday by Switzerland after hosting negotiations in Geneva.
The two sides, which signed a US-brokered peace agreement late last year in the Qatari capital Doha, developed a roadmap setting out sequenced steps and timelines for negotiations under the Doha Framework Agreement, the statement said. They committed to flexibility and creativity within the existing structure of that agreement.
Ceasefire Verification Underway
The talks, held behind closed doors from August 17 to August 21, included representatives from the United States, Qatar, Switzerland, the African Union Commission, and Togo, which is serving as AU mediator. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to pursue comprehensive peace and conflict resolution.
A key outcome was agreement on a standardised method for reporting allegations of ceasefire violations. A first ceasefire verification mission is due in Minembwe, in DRC’s South Kivu province, on Monday, according to the joint statement. The parties also agreed to establish a mechanism tasked with reviewing progress and addressing challenges in implementing their commitments.
Years of Conflict in Eastern Congo
Eastern DRC has been riven by decades of conflict, with multiple armed groups fighting over its mineral-rich territory, including the AFC/M23, which seized swathes of the region last year. The M23 insurgency has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians and drawn regional and international concern about the role of Rwanda in backing the rebel group.
The Doha Framework Agreement signed in late 2025 was intended to provide a path to peace, but fighting has continued on the ground despite the diplomatic track. The new roadmap represents the most concrete step forward since that agreement, though analysts caution that implementation will be the true test.
The agreement comes as the UN warned this week that DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak has topped 5,300 cases and is growing exponentially, compounding the humanitarian crisis in the east. Separately, M23 fighters and government forces continue to clash in North and South Kivu provinces.
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