The glimmer of peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has been extinguished almost as soon as it appeared, with rebel forces dismissing a government ceasefire as a cynical ploy.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s government announced on Friday that it had accepted the "principle" of a ceasefire with the M23 rebel group, a move brokered by Angolan mediators. The truce, scheduled to take effect on February 18, was intended to halt the bloodshed that has ravaged the mineral-rich North Kivu province. However, the M23 leadership swiftly condemned the announcement, labeling it "manipulation" and accusing Kinshasa of using the diplomatic cover to reposition its military forces for further attacks.

A History of Broken Promises

This latest diplomatic failure is part of a tragic cycle in a conflict that has spanned three decades. The eastern DRC is a patchwork of armed groups, foreign interests, and ethnic tensions, with the M23 insurgency—widely believed to be backed by neighboring Rwanda—being the most potent current threat. Since their resurgence in 2021, the rebels have seized vast swathes of territory, displacing hundreds of thousands of civilians.

"The president of the republic has accepted the principle of a ceasefire," the Congolese presidency stated, attempting to seize the moral high ground. But on the ground, the reality is starkly different. Fighting continues to rage in the hills of South Kivu, with reports of "indiscriminate attacks" by government forces and their allied militias. The M23 claims that while Kinshasa talks peace in Luanda, it wages war in Goma.

• The Angolan Mediation: Angola has stepped up as the primary broker for peace in the region, hosting talks and proposing the February 18 deadline. Their efforts are backed by the US and the UN, but enforcing compliance on the chaotic battlefield remains nearly impossible.
• The Blame Game: The DRC government demands a "strict and immediate freezing of positions" and an end to external support for the rebels—a veiled reference to Rwanda. Kigali denies involvement, but UN experts have repeatedly documented the presence of Rwandan troops on Congolese soil.

The Humanitarian Toll

While politicians and generals argue over the terms of a truce, the civilian population continues to pay the price. Goma, a city of two million, is virtually suffocated, its supply lines cut by rebel advances. The humanitarian situation is catastrophic, with camps for displaced people overflowing and disease spreading.

The rejection of the ceasefire by M23 suggests that the war is far from over. Without a genuine political solution that addresses the root causes of the insurgency and the regional power dynamics, any truce is likely to be nothing more than a pause to reload. For the people of Eastern Congo, peace remains a distant, elusive dream.