The M23 rebel movement has confirmed that its two‐member delegation in Doha is tasked solely with ironing out technical details on ceasefire mechanisms and prisoner releases, not negotiating a broader peace agreement with the Congolese government.
M23 deputy coordinator Bertrand Bisimwa emphasized on August 22 in Goma that the movement deliberately limited its Doha team to two experts, reflecting the technical—not political—nature of the talks.
He explained that the delegation’s remit covers establishing practical arrangements to implement the July 19 Declaration of Principles signed in Qatar, specifically mechanisms for enforcing the ceasefire and processing prisoner exchanges.
“We made it a point to specify in the mandate we gave to our delegation, which consists of two people,” Bisimwa said. “Their mandate concerns only this technical phase of discussing the ceasefire mechanisms and prisoner release.”
Bisimwa suggested that a draft peace deal circulating in diplomatic circles originated from Kinshasa rather than M23.
“No one will hold anyone hostage there to discuss this so-called draft you have seen circulating, which comes from Kinshasa,” he said, stressing that M23 would not engage on a comprehensive peace accord until the technical stage is complete.
M23 economic affairs deputy Freddy Kaniki accused international rights reports of aiming to derail the negotiations by stoking ethnic tensions.
Kaniki pointed to recent UN and Human Rights Watch allegations of civilian killings in Virunga National Park—claims he described as unsubstantiated and timed to coincide with the start of talks on the conflict’s root causes.
“The same thing is being played here,” he said, arguing that these reports were penned “thousands of kilometres away” without on-the-ground verification.
The Doha talks, which resumed this week after a missed August 18 deadline, represent the first direct engagement between M23 and Kinshasa since renewed hostilities flared in eastern DR Congo in early August.
M23 seized Goma and Bukavu in early 2025, controlling large swathes of territory and prompting international calls for a lasting settlement.
The Declaration of Principles aims to pave the way for a full peace agreement to end over three decades of intermittent conflict.
M23’s delegation will conclude its technical discussions on ceasefire implementation and prisoner swaps before deciding whether to expand its mandate to include political negotiations.
Both sides have left the door open for a return to the negotiating table once this initial phase is successfully completed.
