<h6><strong>Eduardo González</strong></h6> <h4><strong>The President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Felix Tshisekedi, received the Spanish Ambassador to Kinshasa, Carmen Díez Orejas, who conveyed the solidarity of the Spanish people regarding the humanitarian crisis in the east of the country and with whom he discussed the peace agreements with the pro-Rwandan rebel group, the March 23 Movement (M23).</strong></h4> According to the Congolese newspaper ‘Le Quotidien’, the meeting took place last Thursday, December 18, at the President's residence in the African Union City in Kinshasa. “We discussed bilateral relations and Spain's desire, as a friend of the DRC, to continue strengthening our relationship in various areas, especially in the political, economic, and cultural spheres,” the ambassador told the Congolese daily. Likewise, Díez Orejas conveyed to Felix Tshisekedi the “solidarity of the Spanish people” with the Congolese people following the deteriorating humanitarian situation in eastern DRC. “I also conveyed to him that Spain supports the national sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC, and that we are committed to the implementation of UN Resolution 2773, as well as the spirit and letter of the agreements signed in Washington and Doha,” she added. The M23 is the most prominent armed group in eastern DRC, a region rich in strategic minerals used in mobile phones and electric vehicles. The conflict between the DRC and the M23 intensified in late January after the militia seized control of Goma and advanced toward Bukavu. UN Security Council Resolution 2773, adopted on February 21, condemned the M23 offensive and demanded an immediate cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of this rebel group from the areas it controls, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu, capitals of the North and South Kivu provinces, respectively. The resolution also reaffirmed support for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and urged Rwanda to end its support for the M23 and withdraw from Congolese territory. Peace talks between the Kinshasa government and the M23 began last April, mediated by Qatar. On June 27, a ministerial-level peace agreement was signed in Washington between the DRC and Rwanda, and in July, the two parties signed a declaration of principles in Qatar that stipulated a permanent ceasefire and the start of negotiations for a comprehensive peace agreement beginning August 1. However, the two sides were unable to meet the August 18 deadline for finalizing the peace agreement foreseen in that declaration of principles. But in mid-October, the two parties signed an agreement in Doha, the capital of Qatar, to establish a Ceasefire Monitoring and Verification Mechanism. Finally, on November 16 in Doha, the DRC government and the M23 signed a Framework Agreement containing eight protocols intended to serve as the basis for a definitive peace agreement. The signing of the agreement was celebrated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, who thanked Qatar for “its determination and mediation efforts in reaching the agreement,” which represents “a further step towards peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.” On November 14, the Spanish ambassador was received by the Congolese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, Francophonie, and Diaspora, Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner. During the meeting, according to a brief press release from the DRC's Ministry of Foreign Affairs retweeted by the Spanish Embassy in Kinshasa, "discussions focused on the excellent relations between the DRC and Spain, ahead of the Spanish Foreign Minister's upcoming visit to Kinshasa." Foreign Ministry sources consulted by <em>The Diplomat</em> have not confirmed this potential trip.
