Kivu Morning Post, a Congolese news outlet, reported that M23 dismissed the DRC’s rhetoric as “propaganda” aimed at delegitimizing the group; M23 also claimed that the DRC has been financing pro-government militias in Goma and deliberately attempting to “fuel insecurity” in the provincial capital (Critical Threats)
DRC’s Interior Ministry Statement on M23 Bombardment
DRC’s interior ministry released a statement claiming that M23 bombed densely populated areas and reinforced troops on front lines in several areas in North Kivu and South Kivu, which violated the late April truce as well as UN Security Council Resolution 2773 (Critical Threats)
Additionally, mining ministers from Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, the countries of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, announced that they will visit DRC and Rwanda to investigate DRC’s claims that Rwanda is “pillaging its minerals and fueling a conflict” in eastern part of the country (Critical Threats)
Bezos-Backed Firm Secures Foothold in Congolese Mining Sector
KoBold Metals, supported by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, signed a deal to develop the Manono lithium project in DRC’s Tanganyika province; the $1 billion agreement aims to fast-track production at one of the world’s largest lithium reserves and integrate it into Western electric vehicle supply chains (Bloomberg)
Additionally, the head of Twangiza gold mine in the Luhwinja chiefdom released a statement that M23 officially ordered the mine to close after the rebel group captured the area on May 6 and May 7 (Critical Threats)
M23 and Kinshasa Resume Peace Talks
The DRC government and M23 rebels resumed Qatar-mediated talks in Doha after weeks of deadlock; the rebel group criticized the Congolese delegation’s lack of authority and demanded the release of detained members, while clashes in North Kivu displaced over thirty thousand civilians over a few days amid mutual accusations of ceasefire violations (Reuters)
Reported DRC-Rwanda Peace Proposals
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda each submitted outlines of a peace deal to the United States, Trump’s Africa advisor Massad Boulos wrote on social media; Boulos has said Washington is negotiating mineral deals with both countries and aims to broker the signing of a peace agreement this month at the White House (Reuters)
However, violence continues, with the M23 rebels advancing and the Congolese army accusing them of seizing new territory on Lake Edward (Reuters)
U.S. Mediation on DRC-Rwanda Conflict
Washington aims to facilitate the signing of a peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda at the White House in about two months, Trump’s senior advisor for Africa told Reuters; the peace accord would be accompanied by deals opening the door to increased Western investment in both countries’ minerals sectors, he said (Reuters)
The DRC and Rwanda are due to submit separate drafts of a peace deal today (Al Jazeera)
Separately, DRC authorities are seeking to lift former President Joseph Kabila’s immunity to prosecute him for alleged support of the M23 rebellion; the Congolese army’s attorney general has accused him of war crimes and requested the Senate revoke senatorial immunity (Reuters)
ICRC Evacuates DRC Troops Sheltering at UN Base in Goma
Hundreds of DRC soldiers and police who had taken refuge at a UN base in Goma since M23 rebels seized the city in January are being escorted to Kinshasa by the International Committee of the Red Cross (Reuters)
SADC Forces Exit Eastern DRC via Rwanda
The South African National Defence Force confirmed that its troops, along with forces from Malawi and Tanzania, have begun withdrawing from eastern DRC, exiting through Rwanda en route to Tanzania (The Independent)
Bezos, Gates-Backed Mining Firm Expands into DRC
KoBold Metals, supported by investors including Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, announced plans to expand operations into the DRC; the company aims to explore for cobalt, copper, and lithium (FT)
Rwanda and DRC Set Deadline for Peace Deal, Sign Declaration of Principles
Rwanda and the DRC have agreed to work toward a final peace deal by May 2 to address the M23 insurgency under a Declaration of Principles signed in Washington, D.C., though doubts persist over enforcement mechanisms and the extent of rebel group disengagement (France 24)
DRC Truce Announcement
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) government and M23 rebel fighters agreed to an “immediate” ceasefire following negotiations in Qatar, and the two sides pledged to work toward a more permanent truce (France24)
An M23 offensive since January has killed thousands of civilians and taken two of the eastern DRC’s largest cities (Reuters)
More than six ceasefires have been announced and collapsed since 2021 (Guardian)
Former President’s Party Suspended
The Congolese government suspended Joseph Kabila’s political party, the People’s Party for Reconstruction and Democracy (PPRD), and ordered a freeze on its assets; the Interior Ministry cited evidence linking Kabila and his network to armed insurgents destabilizing eastern provinces (Reuters)
Kabila Faces Criminal Charges for Rebel Support
Congolese prosecutors announced they were initiating criminal proceedings against former President Joseph Kabila for allegedly supporting rebel groups in eastern Congo, particularly the M23 (Bloomberg)
Former President Joseph Kabila Returns
Former President Joseph Kabila returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo from self-imposed exile “to participate in peace efforts,” as experts warned of the potentially destabilizing effects of his arrival in Goma (AP)
U.S.-Congo Mineral Deals Advances
The Congolese government signed a deal with Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater and a close ally of President Trump, to help recover lost mineral revenues by curbing smuggling and improving tax oversight; meanwhile, U.S. officials reported progress on a minerals-for-security agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo and the State Department confirmed that any future deal will likely involve U.S. private sector partners (Reuters;Bloomberg;Reuters)
Violence and Sexual Abuse Surge in Eastern Congo
Fighting killed at least fifty people as government forces clashed with M23 rebels near Goma, and local Wazalendo militia appeared to challenge M23 authority in Bukavu; meanwhile, the UN reported thousands of children have been raped over the past year in eastern Congo, mainly by M23 and Wazalendo affiliates (AP News;France 24)
Fallout of Failed DRC coup
Three U.S. citizens who had been jailed in the Democratic of Congo (DRC) and accused of participation in a failed coup attempt last May were transferred to the United States on Tuesday, according to court filings unsealed; they were originally sentenced to death in the DRC, though President Félix Tshisekedi reduced those sentences to life in prison on April 1 (Bloomberg)
Qatar helped negotiate their repatriation, an unnamed diplomat told Bloomberg (Bloomberg)
DRC, M23 Rebels Complete First Round of Peace Talks as Parallel Governance Expands
Representatives of the DRC and the M23 rebel group concluded an initial round of Qatari-led peace talks, while M23 expanded its parallel administration—including by launching a banking system—in eastern Congo (Critical Threats)
Meanwhile, at least thirty-three people have died in one of the worst floods to hit the Democratic Republic of Congo in recent history; thousands have been displaced, as further downpours are forecast for the coming week (BBC)
Potential DRC Minerals Deal
Washington is studying a critical minerals deal with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) designed to encourage U.S. private investment in the country’s mining sector, an Africa advisor to Trump said; the deal would entail greater U.S. backing for the Congolese government, though the nature of that increased support is unclear, the Financial Times reported (FT)
Rebels Leave Key Strategic Town Ahead of Peace Talks
M23 rebels have pulled out of the key strategic town of Walikale ahead of talks with the Congolese government scheduled for April 9, locals confirmed; the rebels described the withdrawal as an act of goodwill in advance of the talks (Reuters)
Twenty-Eight Million People Face Severe Hunger Amid War
A longstanding humanitarian crisis has been aggravated by ongoing conflict, with 2.5 million more people facing acute hunger since the surge of violence in December, bringing the total to a record 28 million, according to the UN’s World Food Programme and Food and Agriculture Organization (Reuters)
Meanwhile, Thomas Lubanga, a convicted war criminal based in Uganda, announced the formation of a new rebel movement, the Convention for the Popular Revolution (CPR), aiming to topple the government in eastern Congo’s Ituri province, adding a new security threat to the region (The East African)
Angola Ends Mediation Role in Eastern Congo Conflict
Angola announced its withdrawal from its mediation role in the eastern Congo conflict, citing a breakdown in the ceasefire and accusing the M23 rebels of reneging on their pledge to withdraw from the strategic town of Walikale (Reuters)
M23 Rebels Capture Strategic Town of Walikale, Dismissing Ceasefire Calls
On March 20, M23 rebels seized control of the strategic town of Walikale in eastern Congo, dismissing international ceasefire calls and stating that only direct talks with the Congolese government could end the conflict (Reuters)
DRC-Rwanda Meeting in Qatar
The three countries issued a joint statement saying all parties were committed “to an immediate and unconditional cease-fire” in the eastern DRC (Bloomberg)
An M23 spokesperson did not immediately respond to a question about whether this would lead to a truce; M23 refused to attend peace talks in Angola scheduled for yesterday (BBC)
The African Union welcomed the resolution reached at the Doha summit, emphasizing the importance of dialogue and cooperation among regional actors to achieve lasting peace (The New Times)
DRC and Rwandan Presidents Meet to Discuss Conflict, Call for Ceasefire
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame met in Qatar to discuss the ongoing war in the eastern DRC between government forces and M23 rebels, the first meeting between the two heads of state since the outbreak of hostilities in January; the presidents issued a joint statement calling for an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire (Reuters)