Goma [DR Congo], August 23: The rebel group March 23 Movement (M23) confirmed Friday that it has dispatched a delegation to Doha, Qatar's capital, for talks with the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Speaking at a press conference in Goma, the capital of North Kivu Province, which has been under M23 control since late January, M23 political leader Bertrand Bisimwa stressed that the two-member team was tasked "only with discussing the mechanisms for a ceasefire and the release of prisoners."
Talks between the DRC government and the M23 resumed this week in Doha under Qatari mediation, following missed earlier deadlines, according to Radio Okapi, a United Nations-backed outlet in the DRC.
The Declaration of Principles signed by both sides on July 19 in Doha called for negotiations toward a peace deal to begin by Aug. 8 and conclude by Aug. 18. Though the timetable lapsed, Qatar circulated a draft agreement last week to both parties.
"When we finish this stage, we can move on to something else," Bisimwa said, acknowledging "blockages" in the Doha process. The M23 had earlier insisted that provisions of the declaration, particularly the release of its members detained by the DRC government, be implemented before broader peace talks could advance.
The DRC government has yet to respond to the M23's latest remarks but has reiterated its "firm commitment" to constructive dialogue while underscoring its determination to defend national sovereignty and restore lasting peace in the east. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire agreed in Doha.
Since January, the security situation has deteriorated sharply, with the M23 seizing several strategic towns, including Goma and Bukavu, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.
According to the United Nations, more than 27.8 million people in the DRC face food insecurity, with over seven million internally displaced, many of them multiple times.
Source: Xinhua News Agency
