Peace talks between the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group restarted on May 4 in Doha, under the mediation of Qatar, Radio Okapi reports. These negotiations have resumed two weeks after both sides signed a joint declaration expressing their intent to establish a truce.
The discussions currently underway are described as "preliminary talks" and are intended to lay groundwork for further engagement and more substantive dialogue in the future.
A Reuters source within the office of DRC President Felix Tshisekedi stated that Kinshasa's main priority is peace, and that the government is sometimes willing to consider amnesty for detained M23 members. However, it was noted that the M23 has sent a lower-level delegation this time compared to last month's round of negotiations.
Earlier this year, the M23 rebels captured Goma, the largest city in North Kivu province, but the DRC authorities later reported that government forces had regained partial control of the city. On February 14, the rebels seized Bukavu in South Kivu province, yet government troops restored control the following day. However, by February 16, Kinshasa accused Rwanda and its allies of entering Bukavu alongside the rebels.
In early April, media reported that secret talks had already taken place in Qatar between the DRC government and M23. Later that month, the DRC president's office published a joint declaration saying the parties aimed to secure a ceasefire and had agreed to start dialogue for "lasting peace in the DRC and the region."
