The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda-backed militia M23 announced a joint commitment to cease hostilities and seek a lasting peace agreement, surprising observers given prior statements from President Felix Tshisekedi about not negotiating directly with M23. The United States and the UN have accused Rwanda of supporting M23, which claims to defend the interests of Kinyarwanda-speaking communities in Congo. Despite the announcement and ongoing negotiations in Qatar, skepticism remains about the potential for a genuine resolution, as previous peace attempts have faltered and violence continues to escalate.
