The presidents of Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda — which is backing a rebel siege in mineral-rich eastern Congo — pledged to ease tensions following a surprise meeting in Qatar on Tuesday.Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart Felix Tshisekedi met Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Doha “as part of an effort to ease the situation” in eastern Congo,

The meeting between Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame to discuss the insurgency was mediated by Qatar, the three governments said in a statement. The state-run Qatar News Agency published an image of the two African leaders meeting with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the energy-rich nation's ruling emir.

Qatar on Tuesday mediated talks involving the presidents of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, which Doha said were part of efforts to "ease the situation" in the eastern part of Congo. Rwandan leader Paul Kagame and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi were hosted by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.