Rwanda and DRC Leaders Convene in Qatar for Joint Statement

March 20, 2025

(3 Minutes Read)

The presidents of Rwanda and DRC have met in Qatar and expressed their support for a ceasefire, a joint statement said on Tuesday, a day after peace talks in Angola failed.

The presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) convened in Qatar on Tuesday and voiced their support for a ceasefire, according to a joint statement released after peace talks in Angola fell through the previous day. Earlier this year, the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group initiated a significant offensive in the resource-rich eastern DRC, capturing two major cities.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi met with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as stated in their joint declaration. The leaders reiterated their commitment to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as previously agreed at an African summit last month.

The statement described the meeting as “fruitful,” fostering confidence in a mutual commitment to a secure and stable future for both the DRC and the surrounding region. Earlier on Tuesday, Angola announced that the DRC peace talks had been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances, likely referring to the absence of the M23 group.

Since January, the M23, which claims to represent the interests of Congolese Tutsis, has rapidly taken control of key cities Goma and Bukavu, resulting in over 7,000 deaths, according to DRC sources. Rwanda has denied providing military support to the M23 but claims it faces threats from the FDLR group, comprised of ethnic Hutu leaders involved in the 1994 Rwandan genocide against the Tutsis.