AFC/M23 and MONUSCO Hold Ceasefire Implementation Talks in Goma

GOMA, February 13, 2026 - Leaders of the AFC/M23 coalition and the MONUSCO met in Goma on February 13 to discuss the implementation of the ceasefire. On the AFC/M23 side, the meeting included Corneille Nangaa, the coalition’s General Director, and military officials such as Col Nzenze Imani John, head of intelligence. Representing MONUSCO was its Acting Director, Vivian van de Perre, who arrived in Goma on February 12. Her plane landed at the local airport, the first operational flight since late January 2025, when AFC/M23 took control of the facility. Upon arrival, van de Perre stated that discussions would focus on partners responsible for monitoring the ceasefire, and proposed that the airport be reopened in phases to facilitate the mission. The UN Security Council has mandated MONUSCO to monitor the ceasefire in areas from which AFC/M23 withdrew in Uvira Territory, an agreement reached with the DRC government during the Doha peace talks in Qatar. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said on February 12 that MONUSCO troop deployment will be phased, beginning with reconnaissance aircraft to ensure security. The reconnaissance flights to Uvira will depart from Goma airport, suggesting that AFC/M23 may need to facilitate access for the mission.