Congo and M23 rebels signed a declaration in Qatar to end fighting, a key step in peace talks, though major issues like withdrawals and prisoner releases remain unresolved [GETTY]

Congo and M23 rebels signed a Qatar peace deal to end fighting, a key step in talks, though major issues like withdrawals and prisoners remain unresolved. 

The Democratic Republic of the Congo and the M23 rebel group signed a declaration of principles on Saturday to end fighting in eastern Congo, a sign of progress, even as sources briefed on the talks said details still needed to be negotiated.

The signing by representatives from both sides took place at a ceremony in Qatar that followed months of Qatari mediation after talks began in April.

The United States has exerted pressure to finalise a durable peace deal in the volatile Central African country. US President Donald Trump has made clear he hopes that it would attract Western investment to a region rich in tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper, lithium and other minerals.

M23, in the latest of a series of uprisings supported by Rwanda, seized Goma, eastern Congo's largest city, in January and went on to make gains across North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

The fighting has killed thousands and displaced hundreds of thousands more this year, while escalating the risk of a full-scale regional war. Several of Congo's neighbours already had troops deployed in eastern Congo when the advance began.

The New Arab Staff & Agencies

In March, Qatar brokered a surprise meeting between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame during which they called for an "immediate and unconditional" ceasefire.

This led to direct talks, also held in Doha, between the Congo and the M23. Congo had previously rejected the idea of holding talks with M23, branding it a terrorist group.

Sources in both delegations have expressed frustration with the pace of negotiations and the lack of progress on confidence-building measures, including the release of M23 members held by Congo and the reopening of banks in rebel-held territory.

It was unclear on Saturday how many of those issues had been resolved.

Bigger outstanding questions concerning the possible Rwandan and M23 withdrawals from eastern Congo were not expected to be fully addressed by the declaration of principles. The New Arab Staff & Agencies