DR Congo and Rwanda presidents meet in Qatar for peace talks

DR Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi met with his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame in Qatar on Tuesday to discuss the insurgency in eastern DRC, a region rich in minerals.

The meeting, which was mediated by Qatar, marked the first time the leaders sat together since the conflict in DRC's mineral-rich east escalated after Rwanda-backed M23 rebels seized two major cities in January.

Both DR Congo and Rwanda reaffirmed their commitment to an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. However, the joint statement does not specify how the ceasefire would be implemented or monitored.

Prior to January, the two nations had also made an attempt to come together for peace negotations.

The meeting planned in December, however, had been unexpectedly cancelled after Rwanda made the signing of the agreement conditional on direct dialogue between rebels and DRC, which the latter refused.

The talks come as DR Congo's government was set to meet with M23 leaders in Angola for ceasefire negotiations. However, the rebels pulled out unexpectedly after the European Union imposed sanctions on rebel leaders on Monday.

M23 is one of nearly 100 armed groups operating in eastern DR Congo. The ongoing conflict has resulted in one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises, with more than 7 million people displaced.