"Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has visited the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), days after the government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group signed a framework agreement for a peace deal aimed at ending fighting in the country's east. On his first trip to the African country, the Qatari leader was welcomed in the capital Kinshasa on Friday by DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and other officials."
"The frameworkd agreement was the latest in a series of documents signed in recent months as part of efforts, backed by the United States and Qatar, to end decades of fighting in eastern DRC that has been an enduring threat to regional stability. The framework was described by the US and Qatari officials as an important step towards peace, but one of many that lie ahead."
"Sheikh Tamim arrived in the DRC a day after visiting Rwanda, where he met President Paul Kagame. Rwanda has long denied allegations that it has helped M23, which has seized more territory in the DRC than it has ever previously held. Al Jazeera's Mohamed Vall, reporting from Kinshasa, said the emir wrapped his brief state visit to the country after meeting the Congolese president at the airport and then at the presidential palace."
Qatar mediated talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels that produced a framework agreement aimed at ending fighting in eastern DRC. The Qatari emir visited Kigali and Kinshasa, meeting both presidents and signing economic and political cooperation protocols with the DRC. The United States and Qatar backed the effort as part of a series of recent agreements intended to end decades of regional fighting. Rwandan authorities deny supporting M23 despite the group's territorial gains. Officials described the framework as an important step toward peace while acknowledging many further steps remain.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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