The Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebels signed a US-brokered ceasefire to end fighting that has displaced millions and left thousands dead.
The two sides are due to agree a final peace treaty next month, after a preliminary deal was agreed in Qatar. Fighting had escalated in recent months as the Rwanda-backed M23 took control of cities across the gold-rich eastern DRC.
The US has sought an end to hostilities in the country as it eyes control of some of the world’s richest reserves of cobalt, lithium, and other minerals essential for new technologies. Last week, KoBold Metals, a firm backed by Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates, signed a $1 billion investment agreement with Kinshasa to explore critical mineral resources across the country.