Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame have called for an “immediate ceasefire” in eastern DR Congo, in a joint statement following a direct meeting in Qatar.

It is the first time two leaders have met since the M23 rebels allegedly backed by Kigali captured Goma and Bukavu, eastern DRC’s two main cities in an offensive that has killed 7,000 people since January 2025, according to reports.

“The Heads of State then agreed on the need to continue the discussions initiated in Doha in order to establish solid foundations for lasting peace,” the statement said, as quoted by Al Jazeera news outlet.

It is unclear whether the M23 would heed the ceasefire call, after the rebels refused to attend peace talks in Angola on Tuesday.

Eastern DRC has been affected by decades of fighting between government forces and more than 120 armed groups, often involving bombs targeting civilians as the militias seek a share of the region’s gold and other resources.

Chief among them is M23, a militant group composed of ethnic Tutsis who broke away from the Congolese army just over a decade ago and rose to prominence in 2012 when its fighters seized Goma.

DR Congo accuses Rwanda of arming the M23 and sending troops to support the rebels in the conflict.

Despite assertions from both the UN and US, Rwanda has denied supporting the M23. Rwanda has said its forces are acting in self-defence against the DR Congo army and allied militias.

The Doha talks came after M23 representatives pulled out of a a planned meeting with the DRC government in Angola on March 18 – just hours after the European Union imposed sanctions on some of the group’s leader Bertrand Bisimwa and senior members.