Angola announced on Tuesday that it will facilitate direct negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group in the coming days, aiming to ease tensions in the region.
It remains unclear whether the Congolese government, which has repeatedly refused to engage with M23, will participate in the discussions.
A spokesperson for Congo’s presidency told Reuters that authorities had “taken note” of the initiative, while an M23 deputy spokesperson welcomed the move, calling it “a victory of reason” and confirming the group’s willingness to join the talks.
Angola has been engaged in efforts to mediate a ceasefire and defuse tensions between Congo and Rwanda, which Kinshasa accuses of backing the Tutsi-led rebels. Kigali denies providing military support to M23, insisting that its forces are acting in self-defense against Congolese troops and armed groups hostile to Rwanda.
Since January, M23 rebels have captured two major cities in eastern Congo, intensifying a long-running conflict rooted in the legacy of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and competition over Congo’s vast mineral wealth.
Congo’s President Félix Tshisekedi visited Angola’s capital, Luanda, for talks with President João Lourenço, Angola’s presidency said in a statement.
“As mediator in the conflict in eastern DRC, Angola will engage with M23 to facilitate direct negotiations with the Congolese government in Luanda in the coming days,” the statement added.
