Angola steps forward as peace broker between Congo and M23 rebels

Angola has officially volunteered to mediate peace negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwandan-backed M23 rebel group, according to an announcement released Tuesday from the Angolan president’s office.

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi visited Angola to discuss the framework for a potential peace process. Angolan officials confirmed they will immediately establish contact with both the Congolese government and M23 leadership, with direct negotiations expected to commence within days.

This development marks a significant shift in Angola’s approach, following several previously canceled peace talks that had notably excluded M23 representatives while focusing solely on their Rwandan supporters.

The M23 is just one among approximately 100 armed factions competing for control in eastern Congo’s mineral-rich territories along the Rwandan border. This ongoing conflict has spawned one of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies, with over 7 million people forcibly displaced.

According to United Nations experts, the rebels receive substantial support from neighboring Rwanda, including an estimated 4,000 troops. M23 forces have previously threatened to advance toward Congo’s distant capital, Kinshasa, more than 1,000 miles away.

In a rapid three-week offensive, M23 successfully captured eastern Congo’s principal city Goma and seized Bukavu, the region’s second-largest urban center, last month.

The UN Human Rights Council recently set up an investigative commission to examine reported atrocities, including allegations of systematic rape and extrajudicial killings perpetrated by both warring parties.