Description: DRC government officials and member of the M23 rebel alliance have engaged in negotiations in Switzerland. The discussion focused around establishing a monitoring mechanism which would follow potential violations of the previously agreed ceasefire. Independent monitoring entity would be established which would consist of members of the DRC government, representatives from the M23 and chaired by the UN’s mission in the country MONUSCO. The situation on the ground meanwhile remains volatile as both the DRC military and the M23 exchange accusations of violating the truce. Violence has significantly spiked up in the North Kivu province under the control of the M23 rebels while a parallel humanitarian crisis is ongoing for more than a year.
Impact: Establishing the monitoring mechanism, despite being a major diplomatic achievement, currently represents a purely symbolic move aimed at deescalating the armed confrontation between the M23 rebels and the DRC military. UN’s involvement in the monitoring mechanism as a major facilitator has limited practical purpose as both the M23 rebels and the DRC military have overwhelming firepower over any UN peacekeeping mission expected to maintain the truce. The humanitarian situation is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon due to the escalation of violence since most humanitarian corridors are overwhelmed by internally displaced, wounded or people in dire need of medical care and nutrition. The peacekeeping mechanism fails to address the presence of ADF in the country, which in the last year has become a significant force of destabilization and aggravation of armed fighting.