UN Mission to Monitor Ceasefire in Eastern DR Congo: Qatar

The United Nations will soon send a mission to the conflict-hit eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to help enforce a ceasefire that has been repeatedly breached, Qatar said on Tuesday.

The announcement came after a meeting held in Doha on Monday between representatives of the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group and envoys from the Congolese government in Kinshasa.

According to a statement from Qatar’s foreign ministry, both sides agreed on the arrangements needed to set up a monitoring mechanism for a “permanent” ceasefire.

Officials from the United States, the African Union, and the UN mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) attended the meeting as observers.

Qatar has been mediating between the Congolese government and the M23 for several months. A ceasefire commitment was signed in July, but fighting has continued in several areas.

An agreement was also ratified in early December in Washington by the DRC and Rwanda. However, these peace efforts have failed to fully stop the violence.

The M23 group captured the major cities of Goma in January 2025 and Bukavu in February 2025, further escalating the conflict in the region.

In recent days, clashes were reported near the town of Minembwe in South Kivu province, according to local sources.

Qatar said MONUSCO will monitor and verify the ceasefire in the city of Uvira, a key city near the border with Burundi.

Uvira, which has a population of several hundred thousand, briefly fell into the hands of the M23 and its Rwandan allies during a rapid offensive in early December. The group later withdrew after about 10 days, allowing Congolese forces to retake control of the city.

In a separate statement, MONUSCO said it has strengthened internal preparedness to support the ceasefire process and promised transparency regarding the nature of its support.