Kinshasa, AFC/M23 rebels to hold fifth round of talks in Doha
A new round of talks between the Congolese government and AFC/M23 rebels is expected to unfold soon in Doha, the capital of Qatar, a senior official of the Congo River Alliance (AFC), a politico-military coalition, said on Thursday, July 3.
While committed to the Doha talks, no final draft of the agreement is ready to be signed in Qatar, contrary to social media claims and statements by Massad Boulos, Africa Advisor to President Donald Trump, on France 24, rebel spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said Thursday.
In April, the Congolese government and the rebels agreed to an immediate cessation of hostilities in eastern DR Congo after their negotiators met in Qatar in the first direct peace talks in more than three years.
"For the fifth time, we will return to Doha to continue talks with the government side under the auspices of the Qatari mediator," said Freddy Kaniki, AFC deputy coordinator, at a press conference in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province. Kaniki did not disclose a date for the upcoming talks.
Four rounds of talks held
Since late March this year, four rounds of talks have been held between AFC/M23 and the Congolese government, with Qatar acting as the mediator, according to Kaniki.
In late April, Kinshasa announced a joint commitment with the rebels to a ceasefire and a peace process.
Benjamin Mbonimpa, AFC's permanent secretary and head of its delegation to the Doha talks, mentioned that "some progress" was made following a meeting in June in Goma with Bintou Keita, head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in DR Congo.
On June 27, Rwanda and DR Congo signed a landmark peace agreement in the United States, sparking hopes of ending years of armed conflict and humanitarian crises in eastern DR Congo and the wider Great Lakes region.
However, the presence of AFC/M23 rebels in parts of eastern DR Congo remains a reality on the ground and is not explicitly addressed in the agreement.
The June 27 deal does acknowledge the role of Qatar, which facilitated multiple rounds of talks between Kinshasa and the rebels.
