DRC government, M23 rebels commit to protect civilians, aid deliveries

After talks successful Switzerland, the 2 sides besides made advancement connected a protocol for ceasefire oversight.

The authorities of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and rival M23 rebels person agreed to easiness assistance deliveries and merchandise prisoners, arsenic mediators propulsion to resoluteness a years-long struggle that has persisted contempt aggregate bid deals.

The 2 sides announced the measures successful a associated connection shared by the US Department of State connected Saturday, pursuing 5 days of talks successful Switzerland.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 3At slightest 43 radical killed successful ADF onslaught successful northeast DR Congo, service says
• list 2 of 3Celebrations erupt arsenic DR Congo ends implicit 50-year World Cup wait
• list 3 of 3Republic of Congo votes successful polls that could widen Nguesso’s 42-year rule

“The parties agreed to refrain from immoderate enactment that would undermine the principled transportation of humanitarian assistance wrong the territories impacted by the conflict,” said the statement.

Both sides besides pledged not to people civilians and to facilitate aesculapian attraction for the wounded and sick arsenic they noted advancement connected a protocol for humanitarian entree and judicial protections.

They agreed to merchandise prisoners wrong 10 days arsenic portion of efforts “to proceed gathering confidence”.

In addition, the parties signed a memorandum of knowing for a ceasefire monitoring mechanics that volition “begin conducting surveillance, monitoring, verification, and reporting connected the implementation of the imperishable ceasefire betwixt the parties”.

Since 2021, the M23, backed by Rwanda, has seized territory successful eastbound DRC, a portion ravaged by much than 30 years of conflict.

While the 2 sides signed a United States-brokered peace statement successful December, warring has continued, astir precocious reaching the highland areas of South Kivu, according to media reports.

In a connection past week, Human Rights Watch accused the parties of blocking assistance deliveries and stopping civilians from fleeing the South Kivu highlands.

“Civilians successful South Kivu’s highlands are facing a dire humanitarian situation and unrecorded successful fearfulness of abuses by each parties,” said Clementine de Montjoye, elder Great Lakes researcher astatine Human Rights Watch.

The latest circular of talks, held successful the Swiss Riviera municipality of Montreux, included representatives from Qatar, the US, Switzerland, the African Union (AU) Commission, and Togo serving arsenic the AU mediator.