The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group have agreed to a roadmap for peace talks, according to a joint statement published on Sunday.
“The Parties developed a roadmap setting out sequenced steps and timelines for negotiations under the Doha Framework Agreement and committed to flexibility and creativity within the existing structure,” the statement published by Switzerland, which had hosted the negotations, said.
“They reaffirmed their commitment to pursue negotiations towards comprehensive peace and conflict resolution through the implementation of the Framework Agreement,” it added.
The two sides signed a US-brokered framework agreement last year in the Qatari capital Doha, but fighting has continued since, prompting both to gather in Switzerland last week for a new round of talks.
The closed-door talks took place from 17-21 August, bringing together representatives from the United States, Qatar, Switzerland, the African Union Commission and Togo, which served as African Union mediator.
The two sides said they had “agreed on the importance of a standardised method for reporting allegations of ceasefire violations,” with a first ceasefire verification mission due in Minembwa in DRC’s South Kivu Provnce on Monday.
Both also agreed to create a “mechanism tasked with reviewing progress and addressing challenges in implementation of obligations and commitments under the Doha Framework Agreement.”
Multiple armed groups have fought over territories in Eastern DRC, which are rich in minerals critical to much of the world’s technology, including the Rwandan-backed M23, which seized large swathes of the region last year.