Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC) government and M23 rebels have held direct talks for the first time in months, marking a potential breakthrough in efforts to end deadly fighting in the country’s volatile eastern region.
The initial meeting took place in Qatar last week and is expected to continue on April 9 in Doha, according to a source with knowledge of the discussions. The development comes after a rapid M23 offensive that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced hundreds of thousands since January.
The source described the talks as “positive,” noting that they prompted M23 to withdraw from Walikale — a mineral-rich strategic town in DRC North Kivu province — in a gesture of goodwill. The group had pledged to pull out of the town last month but delayed the move, accusing the Congolese army of reneging on agreements by continuing to deploy attack drones. The withdrawal was confirmed by local residents, a regional official, and army sources.
Neither DRC’s government nor the M23 rebel group have publicly commented on the discussions as of Saturday.
The conflict has fueled fears of a broader regional war, with both Uganda and Burundi maintaining troops in eastern Congo. Tensions have also intensified with Rwanda, which has long been accused by the United Nations and Western governments of backing the ethnic Tutsi-led M23 — a charge Kigali denies. Rwanda maintains that its military actions are defensive, aimed at countering threats posed by Congolese forces and a militia linked to the perpetrators of the 1994 genocide.
The renewed dialogue in Doha represents the most significant diplomatic effort since M23 fighters captured key cities in eastern DRC, escalating the already dire humanitarian crisis in the region.
