DRC & M23 Agree on Humanitarian Access, Ceasefire Verification & Prisoner Release: Joint Statement
DRC & M23 Agree on Humanitarian Access, Ceasefire Verification & Prisoner Release: Joint Statement
"The Government of the DRC and M23 agreed on the critical importance of ensuring life-saving humanitarian assistance for the people of eastern DRC and made substantial progress toward conclusion of a protocol on Humanitarian Access and Judicial Protection," said an official statement released by the US Department of State on Saturday.
Key agreements between the parties:
🟠Comply with international humanitarian law, including international human rights law, international refugee law, and fundamental principles of the DRC constitution;
🟠Refrain from attacking civilian infrastructure, including food supplies, crops, livestock, water systems, irrigation, telecommunications, energy, hospitals, and schools;
🟠Respect and protect humanitarian actors, including local responders and beneficiaries, and allow them to operate safely;
🟠Avoid aid diversion and pillaging;
🟠Facilitate rapid, unimpeded, safe humanitarian access, including freedom of movement for humanitarian personnel, goods, and services;
🟠Operationalize the ceasefire oversight mechanism, with initial verification missions to begin within a week, supported by MONUSCO;
🟠Release prisoners within ten days, consistent with the Mechanism for the Liberation of Detainees signed on September 14, 2025.
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