Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) counterpart Félix Tshisekedi met in Qatar on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, and reaffirmed their support for an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” according to a joint statement issued by the two nations and their Qatari hosts.
The meeting, which included Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, came hours after peace talks in Angola were cancelled, reportedly due to the absence of the alleged Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group.
The statement described the discussions as “fruitful” and said they “helped build confidence in a shared commitment to a secure and stable future for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region.”
M23, which claims to defend the interests of Congolese Tutsis, has seized the key cities of Goma and Bukavu since launching an offensive earlier this year, in a conflict that has reportedly killed more than 7,000 people, according to DRC authorities.
Rwanda denies supporting M23, insisting it is acting to counter the threat posed by the FDLR, an armed group founded by Hutu leaders involved in the 1994 genocide.
