Congo and M23 rebels agree to create body to oversee potential ceasefire

GOMA Congo AP Congo and the Rwanda-backed rebel group M agreed Tuesday to establish an oversight body for a prospective permanent ceasefire an crucial step toward a peace deal after efforts to end decades-long fighting in eastern Congo stalled in new weeks The agreement was signed in Doha after mediation by Qatar Congolese administration spokesperson Patrick Muyaya informed on social platform X M spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka endorsed the signing and shared documents highlighting the terms of the agreement on X As part of the agreement a ceasefire monitoring body including representatives from Congo M and the -country International Conference on the Great Lakes Region will be formed according to the documents The body is expected to meet within seven days of its creation with the U N peacekeeping mission in Congo known as MONUSCO participating to provide logistical coordination It will investigate alleged ceasefire violations the documents mentioned Backed by neighboring Rwanda M is the the majority prominent of more than armed groups fighting for control in Congo s mineral-rich east With million people displaced in Congo the U N has called the conflict one of the majority of protracted complex serious humanitarian crises on Earth In a major escalation earlier this year the rebels seized two key cities in eastern Congo In July Congo and M signed a declaration of principles in Qatar to end the conflict and commit to a comprehensive peace agreement that would include the restoration of state bureaucrats in key eastern cities controlled by the insurgents and the exchange of prisoners The two sides agreed to finalize a peace deal no later than Aug but missed that deadline accusing each other of violating peace terms Banchereau communicated from Dakar Senegal Source