The UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, MONUSCO, says it is ready to support a ceasefire between the Congolese authorities and the M23 armed group, following an announcement by Qatar that it will deploy a first monitoring team under the Doha peace initiative.

M23, also known as the March 23 Movement, is an armed group operating in eastern DRC that has seized key towns, including Goma in January and Bukavu in February, fuelling renewed violence and displacement.

MONUSCO says the initial deployment will be limited to Uvira, in South Kivu, and will not mark a permanent return to the province, which the Mission left last year. 

UN News’s Cristina Silveiro asked the mission’s spokesperson Ndeye Khady Lo whether the development should be seen as a positive signal for peace.