AFC/M23 reveals cause of setback in Doha talks with DRC
The AFC/M23 rebel coalition has revealed the reasons behind recent setbacks in the peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) held in Doha.
According to the group, the DRC representatives showed little commitment to signing a ceasefire agreement, which was a key expectation during the negotiations.
Speaking at a press briefing on July 3, 2025, Benjamin Mbonimpa, head of the AFC/M23 delegation in Doha, said that every time they arrived in Qatar, they anticipated the signing of a ceasefire pact. However, the Kinshasa government repeatedly rejected the agreement.
“Kinshasa has chosen to portray Rwanda as its enemy, yet the issues between Rwanda and the DRC are strictly state-level matters. Our concern is with the Congolese government. We engage directly with the government because only through dialogue can this conflict be resolved and peace restored, but unfortunately, not all officials seem to understand this,” Mbonimpa explained.
He further stated that while peace talks were ongoing, the DRC government was simultaneously planning military offensives against territories controlled by M23. He pointed to the presence of foreign mercenaries in Kisangani, including Colombians and Americans, preparing attacks.
Mbonimpa also accused the DRC government of supporting militias such as Wazalendo and Mai-Mai by providing them with drones and heavy weaponry to regain control over captured areas.
Mbonimpa noted a striking difference in how delegations approached the talks, saying while M23 consistently presented official documents authorising their participation, DRC representatives never showed any credentials.
“We found it difficult to negotiate with people who came without any official mandate or letter of appointment. We would present our authorisation to the mediator, but the DRC representatives came without any proof of government backing. They behaved more like informal participants than official negotiators,” he said.
According to AFC/M23, the first and most critical step in the talks was supposed to be signing a ceasefire agreement. However, the DRC government repeatedly refused to commit to this.
Despite rejecting the ceasefire in talks, the DRC government has often publicly accused M23 of rejecting peace efforts.
M23 maintains that since 2022, it has declared ceasefires unilaterally on five occasions, while the DRC government has not taken similar steps.
