Description: Following last week’s negotiations in Switzerland, representatives from the DRC government and the M23 rebel alliance have agreed to implement a ceasefire monitoring mechanism, restore corridors for delivering humanitarian aid and exchange prisoners. Qatar, the US, Togo and members of the African Union were mediating the latest round of negotiations. M23 and the DRC government also signed a memorandum of understanding which prohibits both warring parties from targeting critical infrastructure, civilian targets and resources as well as obligations that both parties will engage in a confidence building prisoner exchange.
Impact: The latest round of talks likely provides a stable basis for further diplomatic developments in regard to the peace platform concerning the DRC government and the M23 rebels. Qatar and the US highly likely continue to enforce their foreign policy capital which would likely provide and early market entry for US and Qatari companies in the mineral rich regions of the DRC. The establishment of the ceasefire monitoring mechanism has been the largest development and would likely enable international organizations such as the UN direct access to developments on the ground. Stabilization remains a distant prospect as the humanitarian situation is still deteriorating and operational guarantees are yet to be implemented, however, the latest memorandum likely provides a firm basis for reconciliation. The volatile eastern region is also plagued by terrorist activity, primarily by the Allied Democratic Forces, which could likely represent an outlier and threaten the peace initiative.