Doha, August 09 (QNA) - In a new achievement for Qatari diplomacy and its efforts to promote peace and stability in Africa, authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo released 15 detainees and handed them over to the Congo River Alliance/March 23 Movement (AFC/M23) under the mechanism for the release of detainees signed in Doha last September as part of the Doha Peace Process.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) transported the detainees and handed them over to the alliance. The detainees left the government-controlled city of Beni in a convoy on Thursday evening and traveled through Uganda before being handed over to the alliance in the Rutshuru territory in the east of the country.

In this context, Stephanie Eller, who serves as head of operations for the ICRC in Kinshasa, expressed hope that the operation would bring relief to families who had been separated from their loved ones for a long time.

For its part, the State of Qatar welcomed the move and said the release of the detainees represented an important step toward strengthening confidence between the parties and creating favorable conditions for further progress toward peaceful and sustainable solutions, thereby supporting efforts to achieve peace and stability in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Doha also praised the ICRC's role in implementing the mechanism for the release of detainees and ensuring their safe transport and handover in accordance with humanitarian principles, as well as the efforts of partners supporting the peace process.

The State of Qatar renewed its commitment to continuing its efforts to facilitate dialogue between the parties concerned, in line with its longstanding approach of supporting peaceful solutions to conflicts and promoting regional security and stability.

It expressed hope that the step would encourage further measures to build confidence between the parties and fulfill the Congolese people's aspirations for peace, development, and prosperity.

The ongoing Qatari diplomatic mediation efforts in this process were an extension of the country's pivotal role, under the guidance of its leadership, as a trusted peacemaker regionally and globally, a role that has been translated into landmark initiatives and agreements in various parts of the world.

As part of its continued engagement on the issue, the State of Qatar participated on Jul. 26 in a coordination and planning meeting of the High-Level Facilitators and the Independent Joint Secretariat to prepare an implementation action plan for the peace process in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The meeting was held in Gaborone in Botswana. The State of Qatar was represented by HE Director of African Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Ali bin Ghanem Al Hajri, accompanied by HE Qatar's Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union Saad bin Mubarak Al Nuaimi, and Adviser at the Office of the Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abdullah bin Hamad Al Nuaimi.

In Qatar's remarks at the meeting, the Director of the African Affairs reaffirmed the country's firm commitment to supporting efforts to establish peace in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. He added that Qatar continues to work with the parties concerned in close coordination with the United States and Togo, in its capacity as the African Union mediator, to strengthen and support the African-led process under the African Union.

He also discussed the main ongoing efforts under the Doha track, particularly the completion of steps to operationalize the ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism, alongside continued cooperation with the ICRC on the detainee exchange mechanism and the completion of negotiations on the remaining protocols under the Doha framework.

He reiterated the State of Qatar's commitment to supporting all efforts to achieve lasting peace and working with regional and international partners with patience and responsibility, based on its belief that dialogue remains the only means of resolving conflicts and achieving sustainable stability.

Qatari mediation efforts have succeeded in defusing numerous crises around the world. These efforts have covered a wide range of areas, including securing ceasefires between conflicting parties, restoring diplomatic relations, facilitating the release of hostages and exchanges of prisoners, supporting national dialogues, resolving border disputes, and strengthening humanitarian efforts at the regional and international levels.

Mediation and the peaceful diplomatic resolution of disputes between conflicting parties constitute a central pillar of the State of Qatar's foreign policy. The country remains committed to this approach in its efforts to find solutions to ongoing crises around the world for the benefit of humanity as a whole.

Qatari mediation represents a new model of diplomacy characterized by the patience required to build trust, the flexibility needed to adapt to rapidly evolving crises, and the credibility that enables engagement with all parties even when channels of communication have broken down.

The State of Qatar does not view mediation merely as a foreign policy instrument, but as a reflection of a firmly established constitutional principle. Article 7 of the Constitution of the State of Qatar affirms that the country's foreign policy is based on strengthening international peace and security through the peaceful settlement of disputes. (QNA)