DR Congo and M23 Rebels Agree Roadmap for Peace Talks After Swiss Summit
The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have agreed on a roadmap for the next phase of peace talks, following five days of negotiations in Switzerland.
In a joint statement, the two sides said they were committed to “pursue negotiations towards comprehensive peace and conflict resolution” and agreed to create a mechanism to monitor the ceasefire.
The roadmap sets out a timeline for talks under the Doha Framework Agreement, the US-brokered peace plan signed in 2025. That deal did not stop the fighting in eastern DR Congo, where conflict has persisted for decades.
Still, major differences remain. The parties have not resolved disputes over sanctions against M23, the release of detainees, or the timing of political reforms.
The latest meetings brought together M23, the DR Congo government, Qatar, the United States, Togo, the African Union Commission and host Switzerland.
“The parties agreed to establish a mechanism tasked with reviewing progress and addressing challenges in implementation of obligations and commitments under the Doha Framework Agreement,” the statement said.
They also developed “sequenced steps and timelines” and promised to approach the process with “flexibility and creativity,” according to the statement.
A separate mechanism will monitor ceasefire violations. Its secretariat has been established, and the first verification mission is scheduled for Monday in Minembwe, an area in South Kivu that has seen heavy fighting.
Fighting has continued in North and South Kivu despite repeated ceasefire commitments, with the government and M23 trading blame for violations.
The conflict is closely tied to longstanding tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali. Rwanda has long said DR Congo has failed to dismantle the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group it considers a serious security threat. Congo denies supporting the FDLR and accuses Rwanda of backing M23 with troops and weapons.
Tensions escalated sharply in January 2025, when M23 seized large parts of eastern Congo, including Goma and two airports. The violence has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians over decades of fighting.
The east is rich in coltan and other minerals vital to the global electronics industry, adding economic and strategic weight to the instability. Rwanda has consistently denied supporting M23, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, and has described its military presence in the region as defensive and aimed at countering threats from other armed groups.
The latest agreement offers a diplomatic path forward, but with the ceasefire under strain and trust in short supply, the next steps will test whether both sides are willing to move beyond the commitments already made.