The three countries are seeking an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” in the Eastern DRC.
Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Felix Zisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame met in person for the first time since the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels seized two major cities in the eastern DRC.
In a joint statement issued with Qatar, which Emir mediated consultations in Doha, the countries called for an “immediate ceasefire” for the eastern DRC.
“The head of state has since agreed to the need to continue the discussions launched in Doha to establish a solid foundation for peace,” the statement said.
The DRC accused Rwanda of sending weapons and troops to support the M23 rebels.
The talks come after the European Union imposed sanctions on some senior members of the group, including leader Bertrand Bissimwa, after M23 representatives withdrew from a planned meeting with the DRC government in Angola on Tuesday.
In a statement, M23 said sanctions “seriously compromise direct dialogue and hinder progress.”
The EU has also approved three Rwandan military commanders and the chief of the country’s mining agency for assistance with the M23 fighter jets.
The Eastern DRC conflict escalated when rebels advanced in January, seizing strategic city sesame seeds, and Bukabu continued in February.
The M23 is one of around 100 armed groups fighting for footholds in the mineral-rich eastern DRC near the Rwanda border. The conflict created one of the world’s most important humanitarian crises, displaced over 7 million people.
According to UN experts, the rebels are supported by roughly 4,000 Rwandan troops.
