by Xinhua writer Shi Yu

KINSHASA, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A deadline for a peace deal in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) came and went on Monday with no accord in sight, with the DRC government and M23 rebels trading blame for the failure.

However, both sides have left the door open for more talks, keeping the glimmering hope alive for an end to the decades-long war that has displaced millions.

PEACE PROCESS STILL ON TRACK

On Sunday, a Qatari official told DRC media outlet ACTUALITE.CD that a draft peace agreement had been prepared and shared with the DRC government and M23 rebels under the framework of the Declaration of Principles signed by both parties on July 19 in Doha, the Qatari capital.

The Qatari-mediated roadmap had called for negotiations to begin by Aug. 8 and conclude with a final deal by Aug. 18, a timeline that has already slipped but now appears to be back on track.

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

Despite the delay, a Qatari official involved in the mediation and speaking on condition of anonymity, said both Kinshasa 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, noting that Qatar is "currently hosting an important session of negotiations in Doha aimed at following up on the implementation of the Declaration of Principles and finalizing a peace agreement."

Following the news report, the DRC government reaffirmed its "resolute commitment" to constructive dialogue, stressing its determination to defend national sovereignty and restore lasting peace in the east.

It also indicated that talks would soon resume to reach an agreement that could bring an end to the conflicts in the troubled region.

In parallel, the M23 issued a statement expressing "sincere gratitude" to Qatar for its mediation and pledged "full engagement" in the Doha peace framework, insisting that only full implementation of the declaration signed in Doha could pave the way toward a comprehensive settlement.

LACK OF TRUST WEIGHS ON DOHA PROCESS

In contrast to the commitments sealed in the Doha Declaration, Kinshasa and the M23 have traded accusations of ceasefire violations, which exposed the deep mistrust between them.

While both sides issued relatively conciliatory statements on Sunday, the record of recriminations continues to weigh heavily on the fragile process.

Soon after expressing willingness to continue the Doha negotiations, the M23, in another statement, accused government forces of launching what it called a "deadly offensive" early Sunday against densely populated areas of Nzimbira and Kanyola, in South Kivu province, allegedly using heavy artillery and kamikaze drones.

On Aug. 7, M23 political leader Bertrand Bisimwa said that the rebel group "had not been invited to the latest round of discussions in Doha," warning of a retaliatory strike if attacked.

"Every attack will be met with an appropriate response aimed at neutralizing the threat once and for all, in order to protect the civilian population," he noted.

In a recent interview with local media, Bisimwa went even further, claiming that "Kinshasa has never had the will to negotiate" and that those sent to Doha were intelligence agents "without any mandate to negotiate."

Kinshasa, for its part, has on multiple occasions denounced what it describes as the M23's "bellicose attitude," accusing the group of massacring more than 300 civilians in July 2025 across North Kivu province, large parts of which, including the provincial capital Goma, remain under the occupation of M23 rebels.

Jason Stearns, associate professor at Simon Fraser University, told an online panel hosted by the Brookings Institution on Aug. 7 that the Doha peace process faces structural uncertainties.

He observed that the Declaration of Principles signed between the M23 and the DRC government contained no clear timeline and, if followed to its logical conclusion, would require the M23 to dissolve, raising doubts over what the rebel group stood to gain and why it would ever fully implement the accord.

REGIONAL EFFORTS INSTILL HOPE

Amid much uncertainty, regional organizations have sought to give fresh impetus to diplomatic efforts toward peace in the eastern DRC.

On Aug. 13, leaders of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) endorsed a proposal to merge their peace initiatives with that of the African Union (AU), effectively placing the continental body at the helm of efforts to resolve the crisis.

In an extraordinary virtual summit, African leaders approved terms of reference for a Panel of Facilitators working under the AU Secretariat in Addis Ababa.

The panel includes former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Nigerian leader Olusegun Obasanjo, former Central African Republic interim President Catherine Samba-Panza, former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, and former Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

On Saturday, SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi reaffirmed the bloc's "unequivocal" commitment to promoting lasting peace in the eastern DRC, noting that although the SADC Mission in the DRC had completed its mandate, the region remains determined to support stability.

Magosi said the Aug. 13 joint summit with the EAC had agreed to align their mediation frameworks with the AU into a "unified, AU-led process" that would "strengthen coordination, harmonize peace efforts and reinforce continental leadership in resolving the conflict."

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

According to the United Nations, more than 27.8 million people in the DRC face food insecurity, with over 7 million internally displaced, many of them multiple times. Enditem