Partial peace agreement for DRC signed in Qatar
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
A partial peace agreement has been signed for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), raising hopes of a more peaceful future for the embattled country.
On Saturday in Doha, Qatar, representatives of the Kinshasa government and the M23 rebel group signed a declaration of intent, which includes a permanent ceasefire and outlines a roadmap for the restoration of state authority in eastern DRC, according to Italian news agency AGI.
The Declaration commits to launching formal negotiations as soon as possible with a view toward a “comprehensive peace agreement.”
Violence-plagued region
In the region, the frontlines have remained unchanged since February, but, AGI reports, violence continues between M23 and pro-Kinshasa militias engaged in guerrilla operations.
For over 30 years, Eastern DRC, a region rich in minerals, has been plagued by conflict, and previous peace agreements and ceasefires have been repeatedly violated in recent years.
According to the United Nations and Congolese government, this has resulted in thousands of deaths, worsening a humanitarian crisis involving hundreds of thousands of displaced people.
Peace requires efforts, support and making concessions
The DRC's Minister of the Interior, Jacquemain Sabani, reflected on the ceasefire agreement signed with the M23 armed group, which is supported by Rwanda, calling this breakthrough a step closer to peace, during a briefing co-hosted with fellow Minister of Communication and Media, Patrick Muyaya.
After three decades of unrest, Minister Shabani reasoned, “Peace is a choice,” adding, “I am confident and fully convinced that we are close to peace," and that this is an "important project we have the responsibility to build.”
Yet, he argued, this requires work. “We must prepare the population to move toward this goal,” and must be prepared to make “concessions.”
Working toward definitive peace
With this sentiment, Communications Minister Muyaya echoed, “We want a definitive peace, a lasting peace.”
Since the document signed by both parties also outlines restoring state authority in eastern DRC once the peace agreement is signed, he noted, for the government, this entails “redeploying the administration and public forces” in the M23-controlled territories, while reassuring that this will be the subject of a process to be “described in detail in the peace agreement.”
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