Angola will attempt to broker direct talks between Congo and M23, presidency says

On Tuesday, Angola announced it would seek to facilitate direct negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebels supported by Rwanda in the near future. It was unclear at first whether the Congolese government, which has consistently declined to engage in talks with the M23, would participate in the discussions.

The presidential spokesperson for Congo informed Reuters that officials acknowledged this initiative, while an M23 deputy spokesperson referred to it as “a victory of reason” and affirmed the group’s participation in the negotiations.

The Southern African nation has been working to facilitate a durable ceasefire and reduce tensions between Congo and its neighbor Rwanda, which has faced allegations of supporting the Tutsi-led rebel faction. Rwanda rejects claims of supplying weapons and personnel to the M23 rebels, asserting its military is engaging in self-defense against the Congolese army and militias antagonistic to Kigali.

Since January, M23 rebels have taken control of the two largest cities in eastern Congo, marking a deepening of an ongoing conflict tied to the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the battle for dominance over Congo’s abundant mineral wealth.

Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi made a working trip to Angola’s capital Luanda and held discussions with his counterpart Joao Lourenco, according to a statement from Angola’s presidency on Facebook.