The UN head applauds the Doha declaration while the AFC/M23 declares “no withdrawal”
Antonio Guterres, the secretary-general of the United Nations, has praised the Declaration of Principles that the AFC/M23 rebels and the Democratic Republic of the Congo signed on Saturday, July 14, in Doha, Qatar.
In a post on X on Monday, Guterres expressed his gratitude for the historic signing and stated that the “UN remains committed to supporting efforts toward peace, protection of civilians & stability in the DRC in close collaboration with national authorities, regional & international partners.”
Following three months of negotiations between the Congolese government and the AFC/M23 rebels, who currently hold significant areas of eastern DR Congo, including the two biggest cities, Goma and Bukavu, through the mediation of Qatar, the Doha statement was made.
The agreement might put an end to the three decades of fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and provides the groundwork for a peace agreement between the two sides who have been at odds since late 2021.
Conflicts have persisted despite the parties’ agreement in late April that a truce was necessary.
In the declaration, the two sides committed to promoting a truce and assisting internally displaced persons and refugees in returning to their homes.
“No leaving the Congo.”
Congolese Minister of Communication and government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya informed the media following the signing in Doha that the declaration would result in the AFC/M23 rebels leaving their occupied territory so that government power could be restored.
The rebels, however, have rejected such claims.
AFC/M23 deputy coordinator Bertrand Bisimwa said in a post on X on Monday that they would not leave Congo.
“Neither on the battlefield nor at the negotiating table are we working toward our departure from the country,” Bisimwa wrote in the post. “We are negotiating advantageous terms in Doha to ensure that all of our citizens can live in peace in our nation. These are governance issues that are being discussed here.
