The Diplomat
The Spanish government welcomed this Saturday the signing of the declaration of principles between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the pro-Rwandan rebel group M23, with the mediation of Qatar, to end the fighting with a view to a comprehensive peace agreement.
“This declaration should be a further step toward regional peace and stability,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. “Spain calls for compliance with the commitments made to move toward a definitive peace,” it concluded.
The government of Kinshasa and the March 23 Movement (M23), an armed rebel group operating in North Kivu province in eastern DRC with the support of Rwanda, signed this Saturday a declaration of principles in Qatar that provides for a permanent ceasefire in the country and the start of negotiations for a comprehensive peace agreement starting August 1.
The final peace agreement must be signed by August 18 and “should be aligned with the Congo-Rwanda Peace Agreement” facilitated by the United States last June, according to the statement. The M23 is the most significant armed group in eastern DRC, a region rich in strategic minerals.
