‘Peace talks’ between M23 rebels and DR Congo to start in Angola on March 18

LUANDA, Angola

Direct peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels will begin in the Angolan capital on March 18, Angola's presidency said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Southern African country has been trying to mediate a lasting ceasefire and de-escalate tensions between the DRC and neighboring Rwanda, which has been accused of backing the Tutsi-led rebel group. Rwanda denies those allegations.

Angola announced on Tuesday that it will act as a mediator in the ongoing conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group, according to a statement released by the Angolan president’s office.

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Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi went to Angola to explore the possibility of a peace process. The statement confirmed that Luanda will begin establishing contact with both Kinshasa and M23 rebels, with direct negotiations set to take place in the coming days.

This move marks a change in Angola’s approach, as previous peace talks hosted by Luanda had excluded M23, focusing instead on engagement with Rwanda.

M23 is one of nearly 100 armed groups operating in mineral-rich eastern DR Congo, where conflict has created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, displacing more than 7 million people.

In a rapid three-week offensive, M23 seized control of Goma, the largest city in the nation, and captured Bukavu, the second-largest, last month.

Amid the intensifying conflict, the UN Human Rights Council has launched an investigation into allegations of serious human rights violations by both sides, including rape and “summary executions”.