KINSHASA, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- "Significant efforts have been made" to advance the peace process between the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) government and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group, DRC media reported Sunday, citing diplomatic sources, though the process has fallen behind schedule as fighting escalates on the ground.

A Qatari official involved in the mediation told DRC outlet ACTUALITE.CD that a draft peace agreement has been prepared and shared with both sides under the framework of the Declaration of Principles signed in Doha on July 19.

The roadmap called for negotiations to begin by Aug. 8 and a final deal by Aug. 18, deadlines that have already lapsed.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the Qatari official noted that despite delays, both the DRC government and the M23 "have responded positively." "We recognize the challenges on the ground and hope they can be quickly overcome through dialogue and sincere commitment," the official said, adding that both parties have expressed willingness to continue negotiations.

Qatar is "currently hosting an important session of negotiations in Doha aimed at following up on the implementation of the Declaration and finalizing a peace agreement," the official added, without giving further details.

Neither Kinshasa nor the M23 has commented on the latest statements.

The two sides have held several rounds of talks in Doha since March under Qatari mediation. But tensions have escalated in eastern DRC in recent weeks as implementation of the Doha framework has stalled.

Since January, security conditions have deteriorated sharply, with the M23 seizing several strategic towns, including Goma and Bukavu, exacerbating an already dire humanitarian crisis.

The United Nations estimates that more than 27.8 million people in the DRC face food insecurity, with over seven million internally displaced, many of them multiple times. Enditem