AFRICA/DR CONGO - Despite peace declarations, the war continues in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo

Kinshasa (Agenzia Fides) – Although a possible peace negotiation has been initiated, the war continues in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where yesterday, March 19, the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels captured the center of the town of Walikale, in the province of North Kivu.
The advance of the pro-Rwandan forces came the day after a meeting between Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart, Félix Tshisekedi Tshilombo, in Doha (Qatar), in the presence of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
At the end of the meeting, a statement was issued stating: "The Heads of State reaffirmed the commitment of all parties to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as agreed at the joint EAC-SADC Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on February 8, 2025." The statement continued: "The Heads of State subsequently agreed that the talks initiated in Doha must continue in order to lay solid foundations for a lasting peace, as envisaged by the Luanda/Nairobi Process." In addition to Qatar, Angola is also involved in mediating efforts to restore peace in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (see Fides, 12/3/2025).
Despite the negotiation efforts, the war continues, with successes for the M23 rebel movement and its allies. According to the local civil society organization ACMEJ (Association against Evil and for the Management of Youth), the M23 militias have made no significant progress in the Congolese province of South Kivu, where the local self-defense militias known as "Wazalendo" (or Bazalendo) are holding their own. Meanwhile, in North Kivu province, according to the ACMEJ, the M23's recent territorial gains have been facilitated by the fact that some "Wazalendo" units have joined the pro-Rwandan forces.
Meanwhile, the M23 has also appointed new administrators for the recently conquered territories in the two Congolese provinces, according to the organization, to strengthen financial and mining administration and ensure transparency in the areas under its control.
Meanwhile, the high-level meetings of the joint delegation of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Congo (CENCO) and the Church of Christ in Congo (ECC) continue, presenting their initiative for the Social Pact for Peace and Coexistence in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region (see Fides, 4/2/2025). Yesterday, March 19, the delegation was received by French President Emmanuel Macron, who declared his full support for the initiative: "To overcome the current crisis in the east of the country and allow the restoration of Congolese sovereignty, France supports dialogue." (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 20/3/2025)

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