DR Congo and AFC/M23 Agree to Form Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Body

Doha, Qatar, October 14, 2025-The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the AFC/M23 coalition have reached an agreement to create a joint body responsible for overseeing the implementation of the ceasefire in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

This development marks the outcome of the sixth round of peace talks between both sides, held in Doha, Qatar, from October 13 to 14, 2025, under the mediation of international partners. The new mechanism is designed to strengthen transparency, rebuild trust, and prevent further violations of the fragile truce in eastern DRC.

According to the joint communiqué, the monitoring body will include:

Equal representation from the DRC government and the AFC/M23;

Observers from the African Union (AU), the State of Qatar, the United States of America, and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).

The committee will have the mandate to review, investigate, and document alleged ceasefire violations, and to issue weekly reports on the status of the truce and progress toward peace implementation. The first meeting of the body is expected to take place within seven days of its formation to outline its operational procedures and next steps.

The establishment of this joint mechanism follows months of disagreements over who should oversee the ceasefire. Earlier proposals to have MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC, play that role were rejected by the AFC/M23, which accused the mission of bias due to its past collaboration with the Congolese army in combat operations.

Speaking after the agreement, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka expressed optimism, saying:

“The government of Kinshasa has signed an agreement establishing a body to monitor the ceasefire. This is a major step. We hope that this agreement will stop the repeated attacks by the Kinshasa military coalition on the civilian population.”

The latest breakthrough builds on the “Doha Principles” signed on July 19, 2025, which outlined the foundations for a broader peace agreement. While both parties had agreed to a complete cessation of hostilities, recurring clashes and mutual accusations of violations have continued to undermine trust.

Observers believe that this new step could revive momentum for peace if both sides demonstrate genuine commitment to implementing previous accords, particularly those linked to power-sharing arrangements, disarmament, and the return of displaced civilians.

The Doha process, supported by Qatar and the United States, remains one of the most significant diplomatic efforts to resolve the decade-long instability in the Great Lakes region, where overlapping security, ethnic, and political crises have persisted despite multiple peace initiatives.