By Horn Africa News
GOMA — The M23 rebel group has expressed willingness to sign a lasting peace agreement with the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to a spokesperson who spoke to the BBC.
Oscar Balinda, the group’s spokesperson, said M23 has already taken steps towards peace and is awaiting the government’s response ahead of the scheduled August 18, 2025, peace negotiations between Kinshasa and the rebel movement.
“We have done everything that was required of us. Now we are waiting for the government to act so that a lasting solution can be reached,” Balinda stated.
The negotiations are being mediated by Qatar, which is leading the peace process in Doha. M23, which has been engaged in an armed insurgency in eastern Congo, has long accused the Congolese government of marginalizing communities in the region. The upcoming talks are seen as a critical test for efforts to end years of conflict that have displaced hundreds of thousands and destabilized parts of the country.
If successful, the Doha peace process could mark a significant breakthrough in resolving one of Africa’s most protracted conflicts.
