Congo agrees to Angola-hosted peace negotiations with M23 rebels
The Democratic Republic of Congo will dispatch a delegation to Angola on Tuesday for peace talks aimed at resolving the intensifying conflict with Rwanda-backed rebels in the country’s eastern region. This diplomatic development marks a significant policy shift for Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, who had previously ruled out direct dialogue with the M23 rebel group.
“At this stage, we can’t say who will make up the delegation,” a presidential spokesperson confirmed Sunday, as preparations for the Luanda-hosted negotiations progress. The M23 has acknowledged receipt of Angola’s invitation but hasn’t confirmed its participation, instead the group issued several demands including asking President Tshisekedi to publicly express commitment to direct negotiations.
Angola’s mediation efforts seek to establish a lasting ceasefire and reduce tensions between Congo and neighboring Rwanda, which stands accused of supporting the Tutsi-led rebel group despite Kigali’s persistent denials. Angolan President Joao Lourenço urged all parties to cease hostilities from midnight to create favorable conditions for dialogue.
“The ceasefire must include all possible hostile actions against the civilian population and the occupation of new positions,” Lourenço emphasized in a weekend statement, though fighting appeared to continue Sunday with reported clashes in the Walikale region.
The decades-long conflict, rooted in the spillover of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and competition for Congo’s vast mineral resources, has escalated dramatically this year. M23 forces have captured unprecedented territory, including eastern Congo’s two largest cities and numerous smaller localities.
The humanitarian toll continues to mount, with government figures indicating at least 7,000 deaths since January, while UN humanitarian agencies report that more than 600,000 people have been displaced since November alone, creating an urgent humanitarian crisis in the already fragile region.
