The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda were anticipated to submit a draft agreement on Friday aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo.
This potential agreement would follow a declaration of principles signed in Washington a week prior. Delegations from both Kinshasa and Kigali have been engaged in talks in Qatar this week, working to bridge their differences.
On Wednesday, the US president’s Africa envoy, Massad Boulous, joined representatives from the DRC, Rwanda, Togo, and France at the discussions in Doha.
The expected draft deal is understood to cover a range of critical issues, including territorial sovereignty, the joint effort against armed groups operating in the region, the mineral trade, the situation of refugees, and the role of international forces, particularly the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO.
The urgency for a resolution has intensified following significant advances by rebels backed by Rwanda in eastern Congo earlier this year. These advances saw the insurgents take control of two provincial capitals, prompting Kinshasa to adopt a more open stance towards dialogue with the M23 rebel group. The submission of this draft agreement represents a significant step in the ongoing efforts to de-escalate the conflict and find a lasting solution for the troubled eastern DRC.
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