Felix Tshisekedi of Congo had long said his country would not negotiate with the Rwanda-backed militia, making the joint agreement a rare bright spot in the conflict.

After the announcement that a peace deal had been brokered following talks in Qatar, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has weighed in on the latest developments by emphasising that both parties must respect the terms of the agreement after the devastating effects of their conflict.

The Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels have agreed to halt fighting in the east of the country until peace talks mediated by Qatar reach their "conclusion". It is the latest truce deal since the rebels stepped up an offensive in eastern DR Congo where authorities say 7,