(Reuters) – Angola announced on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, that it would seek to facilitate direct negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in the coming days.
There was no immediate response from the Congolese government, which has consistently refused to engage in talks with the M23.
Angola has been actively working to mediate a lasting ceasefire and de-escalate tensions between the DRC and neighboring Rwanda, which has been accused of supporting the Tutsi-led rebel group. Rwanda, however, denies providing arms and troops to M23 rebels, asserting that its forces are acting in self-defense against the Congolese army and militias hostile to Kigali.
Since January, M23 rebels have seized two of eastern Congo’s largest cities, marking a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict. The violence stems from the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the ongoing struggle for control over Congo’s vast mineral resources.
According to a statement posted on Facebook by Angola’s presidency, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi visited Angola’s capital, Luanda, for discussions with his Angolan counterpart, João Lourenço.
“Angola, as mediator in the conflict in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, will establish contacts with the M23 so that delegations from Congo and the M23 can hold direct negotiations in Luanda in the coming days,” the statement read.
