DR Congo and M23 Set for Direct Talks as Angola Mediates

DR Congo and M23 Rebels Set for Direct Talks – Angola Confirms

Angola to Mediate Peace Talks Between DR Congo and M23

The Angolan presidency has announced that it will engage directly with the M23 rebel group to facilitate direct negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the armed faction.

Presidential spokesperson Tina Salama, representing President Félix Tshisekedi, responded cautiously to Angola’s announcement, stating via the social media platform X that Angola would be taking "relevant mediation steps." She added, “We are waiting to see the implementation of this mediation process.”

This development follows a brief visit by President Tshisekedi to Luanda, where he held a private meeting with his Angolan counterpart, President João Lourenço.

Angola’s Role in the Mediation Process

President Lourenço has played a key role in mediating the DR Congo conflict for nearly four years. However, he recently announced his intention to step down from these duties as he prepares to assume the chairmanship of the African Union.

The Congolese government has previously resisted regional calls for direct negotiations with M23, rejecting peace initiatives led by the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC). This stance had stalled the implementation of resolutions from diplomatic efforts in Luanda, Dar es Salaam, and Nairobi.

President Tshisekedi has been vocal in opposing negotiations with M23, which he has consistently referred to as a terrorist organization. "As long as I am president of DR Congo, I will never negotiate with M23. Dialogue with this group is a red line we will never cross," he previously declared.

However, the latest move signals a possible shift in DRC’s approach and is seen as a crucial step towards restoring stability in the conflict-ridden Great Lakes region.

Regional Diplomatic Efforts to Address the Crisis

As the situation unfolds, SADC is expected to convene a high-level summit that will bring together the Congolese government and M23 representatives in an effort to seek a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

Meanwhile, tensions persist between DRC and Rwanda over the conflict. The Rwandan government has accused DRC of failing to uphold agreements from the Luanda negotiations, particularly regarding the removal of fighters from the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), an armed group operating in eastern DRC and opposed to the Rwandan government.

Conversely, DR Congo has long accused Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels—an allegation that Kigali has consistently denied.

With diplomatic maneuvers intensifying, Angola’s intervention could prove instrumental in breaking the deadlock and fostering dialogue between the warring parties.