AFC/M23 Threatens to withdraw from DRC Peace Talks

AFC/M23 has warned that it could reconsider its participation in the peace mediation process over the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo conflict, after accusing mediators of applying “one-sided” sanctions and failing to pressure Kinshasa over commitments it says remain unfulfilled, according to Actualité.cd.

Speaking at a press conference in Goma on Thursday, June 18, Bertrand Bisimwa, deputy coordinator of the AFC/M23, said the movement had complied with requests linked to the peace process, including withdrawing from Uvira and the Ruzizi Plain, but argued that sanctions continued to target those he described as respecting their commitments.

Bisimwa accused the mediation team of becoming “mute” in the face of what he described as Kinshasa’s failure to implement agreed measures. He also referred to protocols on a ceasefire and prisoner releases, claiming AFC/M23 had released prisoners while the government side had not taken equivalent steps.

The warning comes as diplomatic efforts continue through the U.S.-backed Washington framework and Qatar’s Doha process. The U.S. State Department has said the DRC-Rwanda agreement supports ongoing negotiations between Kinshasa and AFC/M23 under Qatari mediation, while the African Union’s published Doha framework refers to prisoner-release and ceasefire-monitoring mechanisms linked to the process.

AFC/M23 said it still believes the crisis can only be resolved through peace efforts, but Bisimwa warned that the movement could eventually “reject the mediation” if it concludes the process is no longer balanced.

The remarks add pressure to a fragile diplomatic track that has struggled to produce visible changes on the ground. Fighting has continued in eastern DRC despite repeated international calls for ceasefire commitments to be respected and implemented by the parties involved.