The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 armed group have agreed on a roadmap to advance peace talks, seeking to revive negotiations aimed at ending fighting in the country’s mineral-rich east.
The agreement was reached during five days of closed-door talks in Switzerland, where the two sides discussed how to implement the Doha Framework Agreement signed last year.
The roadmap sets out a sequence of steps and timelines for further negotiations, Switzerland said in a joint statement issued Sunday.
The deal comes as fighting has continued despite the Doha agreement, with M23 controlling large areas of eastern Congo and previous ceasefire efforts repeatedly coming under strain.
The two sides also agreed on a standardized system for reporting alleged ceasefire violations. A first verification mission was due to take place Monday in Minembwe, in South Kivu province.
They further agreed to establish a mechanism to monitor progress and address challenges in carrying out commitments under the Doha framework.
Representatives from the United States, Qatar, Switzerland, the African Union Commission and Togo, which is serving as an African Union mediator, took part in the Aug. 17-21 talks.
The conflict has displaced large numbers of people and deepened tensions between Congo and neighboring Rwanda. Kinshasa and United Nations experts have accused Rwanda of backing M23, an allegation Kigali denies.
The region has endured decades of conflict involving numerous armed groups, with competition over territory, political influence and access to valuable mineral resources among the factors driving the violence.
The new roadmap gives the peace process a clearer timetable and a mechanism for monitoring ceasefire violations, but its impact will depend on whether the commitments agreed in Switzerland translate into a sustained reduction in fighting on the ground.
