On March 18, Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani gathered DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame at the Lusail Palace in the Gulf state.

Qatar has welcomed the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 group’s agreement over a ceasefire in the east of the country on Wednesday following crucial talks mediated by the Gulf state.

The two sides declared an immediate ceasefire following months of escalations in eastern DRC, agreeing to working towards a complete cessation of fighting.

“As a follow up to the Heads of State meeting held on March 18, 2025, between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Rwanda, and the State of Qatar, we are pleased to witness the collaborative efforts and this joint statement between the DRC and M23,” Majed Al-Ansari, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, said on X on Thursday.

On March 18, Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani gathered DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame at the Lusail Palace in the Gulf state.

The meeting in Doha marked the first face-to-face talks between the two presidents since the M23 rebels launched a deadly offensive in eastern DRC earlier this year, seizing control of key cities including Goma and Bukavu.

A statement by the Amiri Diwan at the time of the meeting had said that the leaders “agreed on the need to continue the discussions initiated in Doha in order to establish solid foundations for lasting peace”.

The United States, the United Nations and DRC have long accused the M23 of being backed by Rwanda—claims that Kigali repeatedly denied.

In his statement over the latest developments, Al-Ansari voiced Qatar’s support for the continuation of dialogue “in a constructive spirit” in order to reach “an agreement that aligns with the aspirations of the Congolese people for peace and development”.

DRC and M23 had agreed to more than six truces and ceasefires since 2021 that have collapsed before eventually reaching the latest deal following Qatar’s mediation.

“Both parties reaffirm their commitment to an immediate cessation of hostilities, a categorical rejection of any hate speech, intimidation, and call on local communities to uphold these commitments,” the DRC and M23’s joint statement read.

Meanwhile, a source privy to the talks told AFP that a “deeper round of discussions” is expected to take place in Doha “in the coming weeks”.

“Both parties are now preparing for a deeper round of discussions to build the foundations for a comprehensive political settlement,” the source, who asked to remain anonymous, told the French news agency.

The deadly conflict has killed more than 7,000 people since the beginning of the year while internally displacing 7.8 million people, according to multiple humanitarian organisations, including the World Food Programme.

The war has also led to a dire humanitarian crisis, with 28 million people, almost a quarter of DRC’s entire population, facing acute food insecurity—the highest figure recorded in the country.