The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels are considering resuming Qatari-mediated talks amid mounting diplomatic pressure, including from former US President Donald Trump. Donald TrumpThis initiative comes in a context of persistent tensions in the east of the country, marked by a meteoric rise of the rebel group during 2025.
According to several sources close to the matter, Washington hopes that an agreement between the parties could help stabilize the region and boost international investment, particularly in the mining sector, which is vital to the Congolese economy and strategic on a global scale. North Kivu's subsoil is rich in cobalt, copper, and other minerals essential to the energy transition.
The M23, which has taken control of large swathes of territory in North Kivu in recent months, is participating in political initiatives in the areas it occupies. Recent images show its representatives present at the opening ceremony of the Caisse Générale d'Épargne du Congo (CADECO) in Goma, illustrating their desire to entrench themselves in the local institutional landscape.
A first step towards appeasement seems to have been taken last week, with the signing of a peace agreement between Congo and Rwanda in Washington, a gesture welcomed by Western chancelleries but received with caution by Congolese civil society. The role played by the United States—and in particular by Donald Trump, who has repeatedly called for peace—testifies to a renewed American interest in the stability of the Great Lakes.
The prospect of formal negotiations in Qatar could offer a diplomatic solution to a conflict that has already displaced hundreds of thousands of people and caused significant civilian casualties. But many questions remain about the nature of the concessions each side would be willing to make, and how much weight the demands of local populations will play in this process.
Mediation efforts are expected to continue in the coming days, as the international community calls for an immediate ceasefire and the start of an inclusive dialogue.
