Angola withdraws from DRC-Rwanda mediation
Presidents Paul Kagame (Rwanda), João Lourenço (Angola) and Felix Tshisekedi (DR Congo) in Luanda on July 6, 2022. Photo/File, Angola Presidency
What you need to know:
- Despite several ceasefire agreements, M23 rebels have continued advancing southward and westward in the DRC, claiming they are not part of the agreements.
Angola’s President João Lourenço has announced that his country will withdraw from mediating the conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over regional security concerns.
Mr Lourenço said a new country to lead the mediation will be announced soon.
“In collaboration with the African Union Commission, necessary steps will be taken in the coming days to identify the country whose Head of State, supported by SADC (Southern Africa Development Community), the East African Community, and the facilitators, will take on the mediation of the conflict between the DRC and Rwanda,” Mr Lourenço said.
The announcement follows the M23 rebels' suspension of their participation in the Luanda talks, citing European Union sanctions against their leaders.
Shortly after, Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi met in Doha, Qatar, hosted by Prince Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani. Both leaders agreed to an immediate ceasefire and pledged to implement resolutions from the joint EAC-SADC summit as well as the Nairobi and Luanda processes.
However, clashes between M23 rebels and DRC forces have continued.
Recapping the mediation process, Mr Lourenço said the DRC had agreed to neutralize the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), while Rwanda committed to withdrawing its forces from Congolese territory.
“Following successive rounds of negotiations, significant progress was made at the ministerial level in December 2024, during which the DRC committed to neutralizing the FDLR and Rwanda agreed to withdraw its Defence Forces from the Congolese territory to the border lines between the two countries. As these were the primary demands of the parties, after such demands were met, the conditions were thus established for the Summit on 15th December, which was scheduled to take place in Luanda but ultimately did not take place due to Rwanda's absence,” Mr Lourenço explained.
Mr Kagame later insisted that the DRC should hold direct talks with the M23 rebels—a position Mr. Tshisekedi accepted.
However, just before the scheduled meeting, M23 rebels suspended their participation, citing the EU sanctions.
“Angola has always believed in the need for direct negotiations between the DRC Government and the M23, and has worked towards this goal and secured the consent of both parties for the first round to take place in Luanda on 18th March this year. However, this event was aborted at the last minute due to a combination of factors, including some external elements unrelated to the ongoing African process,” Mr Lourenço said.
Despite several ceasefire agreements, M23 rebels have continued advancing southward and westward in the DRC, claiming they are not part of the agreements.
Their movement closer to the borders of SADC member states now poses a growing security challenge, raising fears of dragging the region into a broader war.
Angola, Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Malawi have previously engaged in battles against armed groups backed by Rwanda and Uganda in the DRC.
The United States, European Union, and African Union have all expressed concern that the M23’s offensive could escalate into another regional war.
