The Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame have called for an “immediate ceasefire” in eastern DR Congo, after having direct talks in Qatar.
It is the first time two leaders have met since Rwanda-backed M23 rebels stepped up an offensive in the region, where authorities say 7,000 people have been killed since January.
It is unclear whether the M23 would heed the ceasefire call, after the rebels refused to attend peace talks in Angola on Tuesday.
DR Congo accuses Rwanda of arming the M23 and sending troops to support the rebels in the conflict. Despite assertions from both the UN and US, Rwanda has denied supporting the M23.
Rwanda has said its forces are acting in self-defence against the DR Congo army and allied militias. DR Congo also accuses Rwanda of illegally exploiting its mineral deposits in the east of the country, which Rwanda also denies.
Last December, peace talks brokered by Angola collapsed after Rwanda demanded that the DR Congo government talk directly to the M23.
The rebel group then advanced swiftly, taking control of two key cities – Goma and Bukavu – in the past two months.
According to a joint statement released by Qatar’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday, the two African presidents reaffirmed their commitment to an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire, but it was not clear how that would be implemented or monitored.
“The heads of state then agreed on the need to continue the discussions initiated in Doha in order to establish solid foundations for lasting peace,” it added.
The meeting took many by surprise as the two leaders have appeared uncompromising on the conflict often exchanging barbs in public.
While confirming the talks in the Qatari capital, the Rwandan presidency insisted in a separate statement that direct talks between DR Congo and M23 were “key to addressing the root causes of the conflict”.
President Kagame expressed his belief that with “all parties working together, things can move forward faster”.
DR Congo presidential spokeswoman Tina Salama said on X that the talks were initiated by the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, describing the Gulf nation as a “strategic ally of the two [African] countries”.
In a presidential statement, the Congolese government said the meeting marked the first step towards a basis for a lasting peace in the volatile east, hinting at further talks.
The meeting of the two leaders came as a previous attempt to bring DR Congo’s government and M23 rebels together for peace talks failed. The rebels pulled out on Monday after the European Union announced sanctions on their leadership.
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