In a significant diplomatic development aimed at halting the grinding conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the AFC/M23 rebel alliance and the DR Congo government have signed a crucial mandate to operationalize a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism.
The agreement was signed in Doha on Monday, February 2, 2026, marking a pivotal moment in the Qatar-facilitated peace talks. This move comes as international pressure mounts to stabilize the mineral-rich but violence-plagued region, where the resurgence of the M23 rebellion has caused a massive humanitarian crisis over the last four years.
The Doha Mechanism: A New Layer of Oversight
According to a communiqué from the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the agreement establishes a robust framework to verify compliance with the ceasefire and report violations.
Key components of the mandate include:
- MONUSCO Leadership: Monitoring teams will be led by the United Nations Stabilization Mission (MONUSCO).
- ICGLR Coordination: Operations will run in coordination with the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
- Observer Oversight: The signing was witnessed by representatives from the United States and the African Union, with Togo participating as the AU-designated facilitator.
Note on Compliance: Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to the Doha Framework Agreement for Peace, originally signed on November 15, 2025. They have agreed to hold regular meetings to assess the mechanism’s effectiveness.
Context: The War for Eastern Congo
To understand the weight of this agreement, it must be viewed against the backdrop of a complex and protracted war. The M23 (March 23 Movement), which lay dormant for nearly a decade, resumed hostilities in late 2021. By 2024, the group had allied with political figures to form the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), led by former electoral commission chief Corneille Nangaa.
The conflict has historically centered on North Kivu but has recently expanded southwards, threatening regional stability. The fighting pits the AFC/M23—which claims to defend Tutsi communities against persecution—against the Congolese military (FARDC) and a loose coalition of militias known as the Wazalendo (“Patriots”).
The war has displaced millions, creating one of the world’s most severe displacement crises, and has strained diplomatic relations across the Great Lakes region.
The Flashpoint of Uvira
A major focus of the new monitoring mechanism is the strategic city of Uvira in South Kivu. Located on the shores of Lake Tanganyika near the border with Burundi, Uvira is a vital economic hub.
Tensions in Uvira have been acute since the AFC/M23 executed a unilateral withdrawal in December 2025. The rebels claimed to have handed the city over to the “international community” citing security threats, but the situation remains volatile.
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The Communication Blackout: Since January 21, the rebels have protested the Kinshasa government’s decision to cut telecommunication networks in the region. This blackout has created an information vacuum, making it difficult to verify reports of targeted violence which the rebels attribute to forces allied with the Kinshasa regime.
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Neutral Forces: AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa has repeatedly rejected purely government-led interventions, calling instead for neutral forces.
Under the new Doha mandate, MONUSCO is tasked with deploying its first monitoring mission to Uvira in the “coming days.” New communication channels have also been established to ensure coordination between the belligerents despite the network cuts.
Competing Peace Processes
The success of the Doha process is being watched closely, as it runs parallel to—and sometimes conflicts with—other regional efforts. The article notes that Nangaa recently rejected President Félix Tshisekedi’s attempts at peace talks via the Luanda Process (mediated by Angola).
While the Luanda roadmap has historically focused on diplomatic tensions between the DRC and its neighbors, the Doha process appears to be gaining traction by directly engaging the combatant parties on the ground regarding technical ceasefire implementation.
