Congo: Congolese militias and M23 agree to a timetable for peace talks

In Qatar, Congo and the M23 rebel militia have agreed on a framework for future negotiations. According to the rebels, nothing has changed at the location for now.

The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 militia agree to basic terms for a possible peace deal in Doha. The delegates signed a Qatar a mediated document that sets out a schedule for upcoming discussions.

According to M23 delegation head Benjamin Mbonimpa, the agreement includes eight protocols, each of which addresses the main causes of the decades-long conflict in the country’s eastern region. However, he tempered expectations of rapid change: “There will be no change in the situation on the ground or any activity until the protocols are debated, negotiated and discussed individually and a final peace agreement is reached.”

An M23 spokesperson told the AP news agency that the main aim of the document was to jointly administer rebel-held territory with the Congolese government. Initially there was no statement from the state.

This article will continue to be updated.