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DRC government, M23 rebels commit to protect civilians, aid deliveries
TL;DR
The DRC government and M23 rebels have committed to protecting civilians and easing aid deliveries. They agreed to release prisoners within 10 days as part of ongoing peace efforts.
Key points
- DRC government and M23 rebels agree on humanitarian measures
- Commitment to protect civilians and ease aid deliveries
- Prisoner release within 10 days as a confidence-building measure
Mentioned in this story
Democratic Republic of the CongoM23US Department of State
The government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and rival M23 rebels have agreed to ease aid deliveries and release prisoners, as mediators push to resolve a years-long conflict that has persisted despite multiple peace deals.
The two sides announced the measures in a joint statement shared by the US Department of State on Saturday, following five days of talks in Switzerland.
“The parties agreed to refrain from any action that would undermine the principled delivery of humanitarian assistance within the territories impacted by the conflict,” said the statement.
Both sides also pledged not to target civilians and to facilitate medical care for the wounded and sick as they noted progress on a protocol for humanitarian access and judicial protections.
They agreed to release prisoners within 10 days as part of efforts “to continue building confidence”.
In addition, the parties signed a memorandum of understanding for a ceasefire monitoring mechanism that will “begin conducting surveillance, monitoring, verification, and reporting on the implementation of the permanent ceasefire between the parties”.
Since 2021, the M23, backed by Rwanda, has seized territory in eastern DRC, a region ravaged by more than 30 years of conflict.
While the two sides signed a United States-brokered peace agreement in December, fighting has continued, most recently reaching the highland areas of South Kivu, according to media reports.
In a statement last week, Human Rights Watch accused the parties of blocking aid deliveries and stopping civilians from fleeing the South Kivu highlands.
“Civilians in South Kivu’s highlands are facing a dire humanitarian crisis and live in fear of abuses by all parties,” said Clementine de Montjoye, senior Great Lakes researcher at Human Rights Watch.
The latest round of talks, held in the Swiss Riviera town of Montreux, included representatives from Qatar, the US, Switzerland, the African Union (AU) Commission, and Togo serving as the AU mediator.
Q&A
What measures did the DRC government and M23 rebels agree on?
They agreed to protect civilians, ease aid deliveries, and release prisoners within 10 days.
How will the DRC and M23 rebels ensure humanitarian assistance?
Both parties pledged to refrain from actions that undermine humanitarian assistance and facilitate medical care for the wounded.
What is the significance of the talks held in Switzerland?
The talks aimed to resolve a long-standing conflict in the DRC and were part of efforts to implement multiple peace deals.
