By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group on Saturday signed a declaration of principles in Qatar to end fighting in eastern Congo.
The declaration was signed in Doha, capital of Qatar, by representatives from both parties, following weeks of diplomatic engagement.
Qatar has been mediating between the two parties after the rebels refused to attend peace talks in Angola in March.
Rich in natural resources, especially lucrative minerals, eastern DRC has been racked by conflict for more than three decades, creating a humanitarian crisis and forcing hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.
Thousands were killed in the M23 offensive earlier this year, which saw the group capture the key provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu.
“The Parties commit to uphold their commitment to a permanent ceasefire,” including refraining from “hate propaganda” and “any attempt to seize by force new positions”, read the agreement.
Under the deal, the warring parties agreed to open negotiations on a comprehensive peace agreement.
The deal, which the two sides said aligns with the Washington agreement, also includes a roadmap for restoring state authority in eastern DRC.
The deal though does not address important questions concerning the possible Rwandan and M23 withdrawals from eastern DR Congo.
Rwanda has long denied helping M23 and says its forces are acting in self-defence against the DRC’s army and ethnic Hutu fighters linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, including the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi are due to meet in the coming months to solidify the Washington peace deal, whose terms have not yet been implemented.
The African Union (UN) hailed the new deal as a “significant development”.
“This … marks a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to achieve lasting peace, security, and stability in eastern DRC and the wider Great Lakes region,” AU chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said in a statement.