DOHA, Qatar – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and the AFC/M23 rebel group have taken a fresh step toward de-escalating the conflict in eastern Congo after agreeing to operationalise a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism under the Qatar-facilitated Doha peace process.
The agreement was signed in Doha on Monday, February 2, at the close of a meeting convened by the State of Qatar, which has been mediating talks between Kinshasa and the rebels.
The mandate sets out practical steps to enforce the ceasefire and track violations on the ground, particularly in conflict-affected areas of eastern DR Congo.
According to a communique released by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the mechanism will allow the deployment of monitoring teams led by the UN peacekeeping mission MONUSCO, working in coordination with the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
The teams will be tasked with verifying compliance with the ceasefire and reporting breaches by either side.
Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to the ceasefire and the Doha Framework Agreement for Peace signed on November 15, while also agreeing on next steps to strengthen the effectiveness of the monitoring mechanism and ensure regular follow-up meetings.
Observers at the meeting included representatives of the United States and the African Union, with Togo participating in its role as the African Union’s designated facilitator in the peace process.
As part of the initial rollout, MONUSCO has been instructed to deploy its first monitoring mission to the strategic city of Uvira in the coming days.
Dedicated communication channels have also been established to improve coordination between the parties under the mechanism.
The decision comes amid ongoing tensions in and around Uvira. Since January 21, the AFC/M23 has raised concerns over the Congolese government’s decision to cut off telecommunication networks in parts of the east, arguing that the blackout has hindered communication and made it difficult to assess the security situation on the ground.
The rebels had unilaterally withdrawn from Uvira in December last year, placing the city under what they described as the responsibility of the international community and calling for the deployment of neutral forces due to alleged security threats.
Following their withdrawal, reports of targeted violence were attributed to forces allied with the Kinshasa government.
Participants in the Doha talks agreed to maintain regular meetings under the monitoring mechanism as the peace process continues, in a bid to reduce hostilities and build confidence between the warring sides in eastern DR Congo.
