The New Times (Kigali)

Congo-Kinshasa: DRC, M23 Adopt Agenda of Peace Talks

Photo: Nicholas Long
Displaced (file photo).

The Congolese government delegation and M23 rebels yesterday signed the agenda of the dialogue aimed at returning peace to eastern DRC.

The clusters composing the agenda are; review the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 23 March 2009, security issues, social, economic and political issues.

The agenda will also include mechanisms for implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Kampala Accord.

According to a statement issued yesterday, the talks will tackle the effective implementation of the law on citizenship and its application on the ground in view of the fight against discrimination.

"The parties will henceforth begin negotiations of the substantive issues of the agenda," reads the statement from the office of Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, (pictured) the facilitator of the dialogue.

Other challenges to be discussed include; marginalisation and the geopolitical imbalances in development in the DRC.

The release of political and war prisoners, and the elections of November 28, 2011 are among other areas in the social, economic and political issues cluster.

Meanwhile, the head of the Congolese delegation, Raymond Tshibanda, who is also the foreign affairs minister on Sunday rejoined his delegation, after taking part in negotiations between the Central African Republic government of Francois Bozize and the Seleka rebels.

The M23 rebellion began in April 2011 after hundreds of soldiers from a previous rebellion - the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP) -mutinied accusing the government of breaking the terms of the peace deal under which they had been integrated in the army.

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