DOHA: Congo and the M23 rebel group signed an agreement on Tuesday for the monitoring of an eventual “permanent ceasefire,” a step toward potentially ending fighting in eastern Congo, according to sources on both sides and a copy seen by Reuters.
The agreement is a sign of progress in Qatar-mediated talks after the two sides missed an August 18 deadline to finalize a peace deal.
Qatar has hosted multiple rounds of direct talks between the Congo government and the rebels going back to April, but they have so far dealt largely with preconditions and confidence-building measures.
Qatar has been hosting direct peace talks between Congo and the rebels going back to April.
The ceasefire monitoring agreement was one of two key steps to complete before talks toward a comprehensive peace agreement could begin, the sources said. The second was a deal on a prisoner-of-war exchange that was signed in September, though the exchange itself has not happened.
