M23 casts doubt on DRC peace efforts after skipping Qatar talks
The standoff follows years of failed negotiations in eastern Congo, where mistrust between the rebels and the government has repeatedly stalled talks.
The M23 rebel group has cast doubt on efforts to end months of fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
This is after it failed to attend peace talks in Qatar on Monday, declaring it will only resume deliberations when the DRC government follows through on a Qatari-brokered ceasefire agreement signed last month.
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The Qatar ceasefire was intended as a first step towards lasting peace after years of unrest in North and South Kivu. Under the agreement, Congo and M23 signed a declaration of principles on July 19, committing to begin negotiations by August 8 and aim for a final deal by August 18.
However, the talks hit a setback on Monday when M23 announced its representatives would not attend the scheduled talks. According to Lawrence Kanyuka, spokesperson for M23, the Congolese government "doesn't want peace".
Speaking to BBC's Great Lakes Service, Kanyuka likewise accused the Congolese government of continued attacks on rebel positions despite the ceasefire. Kinshasa has rejected the claims, similarly citing continued rebel attacks.
On Sunday, an unnamed Qatari official told AFP that a draft agreement for Monday's talks had been shared with both sides. The Qatar talks were also linked to a US-brokered agreement signed in Washington in June between DR Congo and Rwanda.
The standoff follows years of failed negotiations in eastern DRC, where mistrust between the rebels and the government has repeatedly stalled talks.
The conflict intensified in January, when M23 forces captured large areas of the region, including the capital, Goma.
The fighting has led to a severe humanitarian crisis in the country, with the United Nations reporting thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands displaced.
Observers warn that delays in finalising the agreement could further complicate efforts to stabilise eastern Congo and the wider Great Lakes region, leaving the future of the peace process uncertain.
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