Congo and rebels signal declaration of rules for a everlasting ceasefire : NPR

M23 rebels stand with their weapons in Kibumba, in the eastern of Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 23, 2022.

M23 rebels stand with their weapons in Kibumba, within the jap of Democratic Republic of Congo, Dec. 23, 2022.

Moses Sawasawa/AP

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Moses Sawasawa/AP

DAKAR, Senegal — Congo and Rwanda-backed rebels on Saturday signed a declaration of rules in Qatar to finish decades-long combating in jap Congo that commits them to a everlasting ceasefire and a complete peace settlement to be signed in a single month.

M23 rebels patrol the streets of Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Wednesday.

A last peace deal is to be signed no later than Aug. 18, and it “shall align with the Peace Settlement between Congo and Rwanda” facilitated by the U.S. in June, based on a replica of the declaration seen by The Related Press.

The settlement of rules touches on many of the highlights of the peace deal Congo and Rwanda signed June 27. It’s the first direct dedication by each aspect for the reason that rebels seized two key cities in jap Congo in a serious advance.

Backed by neighboring Rwanda, the M23 is probably the most outstanding of greater than 100 armed teams combating for management in Congo’s mineral-rich east. With 7 million individuals displaced in Congo, the U.N. has known as the battle in jap Congo “one of the protracted, complicated, critical humanitarian crises on Earth.”

It was not instantly clear what the precise phrases of a last peace settlement can be and what concessions can be made. M23 had been pushing for the discharge of its members held by Congo’s military, lots of them going through the loss of life sentence. Congo had requested the withdrawal of the rebels from seized territories.

A key challenge has been whether or not Rwanda will pull their help for the rebels, together with the hundreds of troops that the United Nations consultants mentioned are in jap Congo.

When Rwanda and Congo signed the peace deal in Washington, Rwandan Overseas Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe mentioned Rwanda agreed to carry its “defensive measures” — suggesting a reference to its troops jap Congo — as soon as Congo neutralizes an armed group whose members Kigali accuses of finishing up the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

Analysts have say it’s going to be troublesome for the M23 rebels to withdraw from the jap Congolese cities of Goma and Bukavu seized earlier this yr and that it might depend upon concessions Congolese authorities conform to make.