After three months of direct negotiations under the mediation of Qatar, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and the AFC/M23 Rebel-coalition have signed a declaration of principles in Doha to lay foundations for a future peace agreement.
On Saturday, 19th July 2025, the two parties signed the declaration of principles under the auspices of Qatari authorities to marks a potential giant step in the mediation efforts which were initiated in recent months.
The signing ceremony took place in Doha in the presence of the Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs.
The agreement for the signing of the documents were reached after more than three months of discussions under Qatari mediation.
According to RFI sources, the declaration of principles provides for the establishment of a mechanism for a permanent ceasefire, a plan to restore state authority in the east of the country once peace is achieved, and a framework for negotiations on the next steps.
This declaration of principle comes three weeks after the signing of a peace agreement between Rwanda and the DRC in Washington on June 27.
“The parties commit to respecting their commitment to a permanent ceasefire,” states a declaration of principle signed in Doha by the parties to the conflict after three months of talks in the Gulf emirate.
