M23 Announces Unilateral Ceasefire in DRC: A Step Towards Peace?

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The M23 rebels, who took control of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo last week, have announced a unilateral ceasefire effective Tuesday. The Congo River Alliance, which includes M23 and other militias, stated the ceasefire is for “humanitarian reasons.” The M23 advance has severely restricted the flow of aid, food, and other essential supplies to the city, prompting humanitarian organizations and the international community to demand safe corridors for delivering vital assistance.

On Monday, the UN reported that at least 900 people died in the recent clashes between the rebels and Congolese forces. They noted that warehouses and offices of aid groups had been looted and warned of potential outbreaks of mpox, cholera, and measles due to inadequate medical care.

Foreign ministers from the G7 countries urged all parties to resume negotiations and called for “rapid, safe, and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief for civilians.” Goma, with a population of 2 million, is a critical humanitarian hub in a region rich in mineral resources. The M23 takeover led to overwhelmed hospitals and bodies left in the streets, while around 300,000 internally displaced people fled from camps near the city.

Reports indicated that M23 was advancing towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, but on Monday the group asserted it had no plans to capture additional territory, emphasizing its commitment to protect civilians.

UN experts claim that the M23 rebels are supported by 4,000 Rwandan troops, significantly more than in 2012 when they briefly captured Goma before retreating under international pressure. M23 is the latest in a series of ethnic Tutsi-led insurgent groups that have emerged in eastern DRC following a 2003 peace deal intended to end conflicts that claimed around 6 million lives, primarily due to hunger and disease. Rwanda claims its main goal is to eliminate fighters linked to the 1994 genocide, while the Congolese government and several UN reports suggest Rwanda uses the M23 to exploit valuable minerals for export in products like mobile phones.

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A joint summit of the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community will take place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on Friday and Saturday to discuss the conflict. Kenyan President William Ruto announced that DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame would attend, despite Tshisekedi having previously declined an emergency virtual summit organized by the EAC.

Congolese authorities have expressed willingness to negotiate, contingent on prior peace agreements, while Rwanda and the rebels have accused the DRC of not honouring past commitments.