DRC and M23 Sign Montreux Accord to Operationalize Expanded Ceasefire Verification Mechanism
The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the AFC/M23 rebel coalition, and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Montreux, Switzerland on April 14 to operationalize the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+) for eastern DRC, under the Doha Declaration of Principles.
The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Alliance Fleuve Congo / March 23 Movement (AFC/M23), and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Montreux, Switzerland on April 14 to operationalize an Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+) for eastern DRC, according to a press release issued by the ICGLR on April 18.
The MOU was signed during the ninth round of the Doha-framework peace talks, held near Montreux from April 13 to 17 and mediated by Qatar and the United States with Switzerland hosting. Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) Peace and Human Rights Division leadership attended the signing.
The mechanism integrates the Ceasefire Monitoring and Verification Mechanism of the Doha Framework Agreement with the ICGLR's pre-existing Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism. Under the new structure, AFC/M23 representatives will sit on equal footing with DRC government representatives inside the verification body — a significant change from prior monitoring arrangements that excluded the rebel coalition. The UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) is providing logistical support.
What the MOU does
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Signed | April 14, 2026, Montreux, Switzerland |
| Signatories | Government of DRC, AFC/M23, ICGLR |
| Mechanism | Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+) |
| Legal basis | Doha Declaration of Principles (July 19, 2025) |
| Composition | DRC government and AFC/M23 participate equally |
| Support | MONUSCO logistical backing; UN collaboration |
| Mediators | Qatar, United States |
| Host | Switzerland |
The ICGLR described the signing as "a key step towards formal collaboration." The parties are also negotiating a protocol on humanitarian access and judicial protection, with "substantial progress" reported, and a prisoner exchange expected to begin within ten days, according to separate statements from talks participants.
How the process got here
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Jan-Feb 2025 | M23 captures Goma and advances across North and South Kivu |
| Jul 19, 2025 | Doha Declaration of Principles signed between DRC government and AFC/M23 under Qatari mediation |
| Dec 2025 | DRC-Rwanda agreement validated in Washington |
| Feb 12, 2026 | ICGLR welcomes signing of terms of reference for ceasefire mechanism |
| Apr 14, 2026 | EJVM+ MOU signed in Montreux |
| Apr 18, 2026 | ICGLR publishes press release from Bujumbura confirming the signing |
The underlying conflict
Eastern DRC has been the site of the world's longest-running armed conflict cycle. The M23 resurgence that began in late 2021 escalated dramatically in early 2025, when the rebel coalition seized Goma, capital of North Kivu province, and subsequently advanced into Bukavu and Uvira. A United Nations Fact-Finding Mission found the rebels committed acts amounting to crimes against humanity; Congolese government forces and allied militias, including the Wazalendo, were separately accused of war crimes. An estimated one million people were displaced in the 2025 offensive.
The AFC/M23 is backed by Rwanda, according to UN Group of Experts reports and US Treasury sanctions. The December 2025 Washington framework was an attempt to address Kigali's role directly; the April 14 Montreux MOU addresses the verification piece that the Doha Framework set up but had not yet implemented in a form that included the rebels themselves.
An international commission of inquiry into the 2025 violence has been convened but has not begun work, per the ICGLR and swissinfo reporting, citing the UN funding shortfall.