N-th Round of Negotiations Between AFC/M23 and Kinshasa: Can We Hope for a Breakthrough This Time?

The Congolese government and the AFC/M23 have met in Switzerland for a new round of negotiations as part of the peace process initiated in Doha, Qatar, which was subsequently relocated due to the situation prevailing in the Middle East. For four days, both parties gathered with the objective of reviving a peace process that is struggling to progress, despite persistent ceasefire violations on the ground.

​A joint communiqué concluded this new round on Saturday, August 22, 2026. According to a statement released by the AFC/M23 on Saturday evening, the following key points were agreed upon:

1. Verification Mechanism: The parties welcomed the continuous progress made in implementing the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+), notably the establishment of its secretariat. A reconnaissance mission also took place on August 20 with the logistical support of MONUSCO, ahead of the EJVM+'s first ceasefire verification mission scheduled for August 24 in Minembwe. Both sides agreed on the importance of a standardized method for reporting alleged ceasefire violations.
2. Monitoring Mechanism: A monitoring mechanism will be established to examine progress achieved and overcome challenges related to the implementation of obligations and commitments undertaken under the Doha Framework Agreement.
3. Roadmap: A roadmap defining successive steps and a timetable for negotiations has been drafted. The parties committed to showing flexibility and creativity. It was agreed that the order of negotiation of the protocols does not dictate the order of their implementation, thereby reaffirming their shared commitment to a global peace.
4. Acknowledgements: The delegations expressed their gratitude to the State of Qatar, the United States of America, the Republic of Togo (African Union mediator), the AU Commission, and Switzerland for their unwavering support for stability in eastern DRC and the broader Great Lakes region.

​Is This a Real Breakthrough for Peace and the Peaceful Resolution of the Conflict in the DRC?

It must be emphasized that, just as during previous rounds of negotiations, military escalation continued on the ground while the delegations were meeting in Switzerland this week. The coalition (FARDC, FNDB, FDLR, Wazalendo) stepped up generalized attacks in areas under AFC/M23 control, primarily in the high plateaus of South Kivu.

On August 22, 2026, for instance, several kamikaze drones were launched against the localities of Mukoko and Nyamabuguma in the Minembwe axis. Earlier in the week, Luntukulu and Luhago in Walungu territory suffered intense bombardment by the Congolese army, causing the deaths of innocent civilians. Furthermore, the Burundian army, an ally of Kinshasa, continues to reinforce its troops in the eastern DRC in anticipation of escalating military actions.

The signals sent by Kinshasa leave little hope for the success of this peace process. Much like the aborted initiatives in Luanda (Angola) and Nairobi (Kenya), the option favored by the Congolese authorities appears to be a military one, as evidenced by these various attacks violating the ceasefire and ongoing troop reinforcements on the ground. Conversely, despite several gestures of good faith by the AFC/M23 which has withdrawn from several captured towns and localities to give negotiations a chance Kinshasa has conceded nothing.

To hope for a definitive resolution and sustainable peace in the eastern DRC, two possibilities emerge:

1. Increased international pressure on the Congolese government to compel it to abandon the military option, genuinely commit to constructive dialogue, and strictly adhere to the terms of the negotiations.
2. A military advance by the AFC/M23 toward Katanga, the DRC's economic engine, whose mineral resources help the Congolese government finance arms purchases, recruit mercenaries, and fund its lobbying and false narratives surrounding the conflict in the east.