Doha: Hosted in Doha, Qatar, a signing ceremony of a Declaration of Principles took place on Saturday between the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Congo River Alliance/March 23 Movement, marking a significant development in efforts aimed at achieving peace and stability in the eastern region of Congo.
According to Kuwait News Agency, the Qatar news agency (QNA) quoted the foreign ministry as saying "the signing of this declaration is the result of the diplomatic efforts made by the State of Qatar over the past months, during which it worked to create a favorable environment for constructive dialogue between both sides, in preparation for reaching a peaceful solution to the long-standing conflict in the region." The signing ceremony was attended by official representatives of both parties, along with a high-level Qatari delegation.
The Declaration of Principles included mutual commitments between the two sides, and a general framework paving the way for constructive negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive peace agreement. Marking the occasion, Qatari Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammad bin Abdulaziz Al-Khulaifi affirmed that this development reflects the State of Qatar's belief in the importance of dialogue as a means for conflict resolution, and its keenness to support peaceful efforts aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo.
Al-Khulaifi also pointed to the State of Qatar's commitment to supporting political solution tracks in coordination with the African Union, in complement to the progress achieved through the signing of the peace agreement between the governments of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of Rwanda in Washington on June 27.
On another front, Congo Government spokesman Patrick Muyaya stated that the agreement took into consideration Congo's red lines, including the withdrawal of the M23 movement from areas it occupied, which will be replaced by state and government institutes. Negotiations are set to continue in the coming phase, with active participation from regional and international parties, in order to reach a final and comprehensive agreement that reinforces security and stability in the region.