DR Congo, M23 rebels agree on roadmap for peace talks

Roadmap sets out steps, timelines for talks to end fighting that has killed thousands and displaced millions.The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and an M23-led rebel alliance have agreed on a roadmap for peace talks, according to a joint statement, as fighting continues in the country’s east.The statement on Saturday said the parties had developed a “roadmap setting out sequenced steps and timelines for negotiations” under a framework agreement signed in the Qatari capital, Doha, in November.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3DR Congo to receive 70,000 doses of Ervebo vaccine as Ebola infections surgelist 2 of 3Ebola outbreak ‘growing faster, ⁠⁠wider’ as DRC death toll passes 2,500: UNlist 3 of 3More than 16,000 doses of Ervebo vaccine arrive in Ebola-hit DR Congoend of listThe roadmap followed five days of talks in Switzerland, from August 17 to August 21 , that also included representatives from the United States, Qatar, Togo, Switzerland and the African Union Commission.The two sides said they had agreed on “a standardised method for reporting” ceasefire violations and would set up a mechanism to address problems implementing the Doha agreement.A ceasefire verification mission is due to arrive on Monday in Minembwe, an eastern region in South Kivu province.Earlier this month, the DRC handed over 15 prisoners to the Congo River Alliance (AFC) and M23 in a transfer facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, as part of the peace process.Continued fightingThe security situation remains fragile, however, with fighting continuing on the ground.On Saturday, an AFC/M23 spokesman, Lawrence Kanyuka, claimed that DRC “coalition forces” had launched air raids using kamikaze drones against densely populated areas in the Minembwe region earlier that day.“These bombings caused civilian casualties and significant damage to civilian infrastructure,” he said in a post on X.