The Democratic Republic of Congo government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group have reached an agreement to facilitate humanitarian aid deliveries and release prisoners within 10 days, following five days of talks in Switzerland aimed at resolving a conflict that has displaced millions across the Great Lakes region.
The agreement, announced in a joint statement on Sunday, represents the latest attempt to build confidence between the warring parties as eastern DRC faces a dire humanitarian crisis that has left civilians trapped in conflict zones.
"The parties agreed to refrain from any action that would undermine the principled delivery of humanitarian assistance within the territories impacted by the conflict," the joint statement said.
Both sides committed to protecting civilians and facilitating medical care for the wounded and sick, while agreeing to release prisoners > "to continue building confidence" between the parties. The talks, held in the Swiss Riviera town of Montreux from April 13 to 17, brought together representatives from Qatar, the United States, Switzerland, the African Union Commission, and Togo serving as the AU mediator.
The agreement comes against a backdrop of repeated territorial seizures by M23 despite diplomatic efforts. Since resuming operations in 2021, the Rwanda-backed group has captured large swaths of territory in eastern DRC, a region that has experienced more than 30 years of conflict. The group made significant advances in early 2025, seizing the major eastern cities of Goma and Bukavu, before capturing Uvira on the border with Burundi just days after signing a US-brokered peace agreement in December.
The humanitarian commitments follow accusations by Human Rights Watch that both parties have been blocking aid deliveries and preventing civilians from fleeing conflict zones, particularly in South Kivu's highlands.
"Civilians in South Kivu's highlands are facing a dire humanitarian crisis and live in fear of abuses by all parties," said Clementine de Montjoye, senior Great Lakes researcher at Human Rights Watch.
The parties also signed a memorandum of understanding establishing a ceasefire monitoring mechanism that will > "begin conducting surveillance, monitoring, verification, and reporting on the implementation of the permanent ceasefire between the parties." This represents progress on oversight protocols that have been missing from previous peace attempts in the region.
The agreement's humanitarian provisions require both sides to comply with international humanitarian law, human rights law, and refugee law. The parties committed to protecting humanitarian workers, facilitating aid convoys, and pledging to > "do their utmost" to prevent aid from being diverted or pillaged.
Specifically, both sides agreed to refrain from attacking or destroying objects essential to civilian survival, including foodstuffs, crops, livestock, water supplies, irrigation systems, telecommunications and energy services, schools, and hospitals. The protection of civilians > "remains paramount during the conduct of hostilities," according to the joint statement.
The involvement of multiple international mediators reflects the regional dimensions of the crisis. Qatar's mediation role, alongside traditional partners like the United States and the African Union, demonstrates how Great Lakes conflicts increasingly draw Gulf state engagement. Switzerland's hosting of the talks continues its tradition of providing neutral ground for African peace processes.
The timing of the agreement coincides with broader regional tensions, as the conflict in eastern DRC intersects with instability in neighboring countries and affects trade routes connecting the Great Lakes region to East African markets. The humanitarian crisis has displaced millions of people across borders, creating refugee flows that strain resources in Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda.
"The parties are committed to maintaining momentum in the peace process," the joint statement concluded.
The 10-day timeline for prisoner releases will serve as an early test of the agreement's implementation. The ceasefire monitoring mechanism, if established effectively, could provide oversight that has been lacking in previous peace deals. However, the pattern of territorial gains despite diplomatic agreements — most notably M23's capture of Uvira immediately after the December peace deal — underscores the challenges facing any negotiated settlement in a region where military dynamics have repeatedly overtaken diplomatic commitments.
