Representatives of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the armed coalition AFC\/M23 have signed a set of foundational principles intended to guide both sides toward a sustainable peace agreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Benjamin Mbonimpa, the Executive Secretary of AFC\/M23, the document signed in Qatar on November 15, 2025 contains eight key principles designed to address the root causes of the long-standing conflict in eastern DRC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Mbonimpa explained that each principle will be examined in a structured dialogue process, with agreed-upon timelines guiding discussions and implementation. He stressed that the signing does not immediately change the situation on the ground but lays the groundwork for a comprehensive peace accord. \u201cNothing will change in the field until these principles are fully discussed and a final, inclusive peace agreement is reached,\u201d he said.
\u201cWe ask our people to remain patient; the journey ahead is still long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Core Elements of the Principles<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Among the agreed principles is a framework for restoring state authority and public services in eastern DRC. This will be carried out in phases and through joint coordination between the government and AFC\/M23.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A second principle outlines temporary security measures to protect civilians and maintain calm in areas affected by the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The parties also committed to establishing an independent national commission mandated to promote truth-seeking, reconciliation, accountability for crimes committed, and a structured approach to reconstruction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n International Observers Welcome the Step<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The signing ceremony was attended by Dr. Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi<\/strong>, Qatar\u2019s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and Massad Boulos<\/strong>, Senior Advisor to the U.S. President on Africa Partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Boulos acknowledged that the path toward a full peace deal remains complex but expressed optimism. \u201cThere is still considerable work to be done before AFC\/M23 and the DRC government reach a final peace agreement,\u201d he said. \u201cIt will take time, though not an excessively long one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The agreement on foundational principles marks one of the most significant steps in recent years toward resolving one of Africa\u2019s most protracted conflicts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Representatives of the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the armed coalition AFC\/M23 have signed a set of foundational principles intended to guide both sides toward a sustainable peace agreement. According to Benjamin Mbonimpa, the Executive Secretary of AFC\/M23, the document signed in Qatar on November 15, 2025 contains eight key principles […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1801,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1799","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t