Synopsis
Angola has decided to withdraw from mediating the DRC conflict, focusing on broader African Union goals. A new mediator will be appointed soon as Angola emphasizes its commitment to peace in the region.Key Takeaways
- Angola withdraws from DRC mediation role.
- A new mediator will be appointed shortly.
- Direct talks between DRC and M23 rebels failed to occur.
- Peace summit between DRC and Rwanda was also cancelled.
- Angola has been active in promoting peace initiatives.
Luanda, March 24 (NationPress) Angola announced on Monday that it has chosen to withdraw from its role as the mediator in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to concentrate on more extensive priorities of the African Union as its current chair.
A new mediator will be appointed in the upcoming days, according to a statement from Angola's presidency.
"In cooperation with the African Union (AU) Commission, essential measures will be undertaken shortly to determine the nation whose head of state, backed by the SADC (Southern African Development Community), the East African Community, and the facilitators, will assume the mediation of the conflict between the DRC and Rwanda," the statement elaborated.
Planned discussions between the DRC government and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group, initially set for March 18, were cancelled due to factors including "certain external elements not related to the ongoing African process," the statement indicated.
A proposed DRC-Rwanda peace summit, intended for December 15, 2024, in the Angolan capital of Luanda, also did not occur after Rwandan President Paul Kagame opted not to attend, reported Xinhua news agency.
"Angola has committed itself with the highest level of seriousness, energy, and resources to attain sustainable peace in the eastern DRC and to normalize relations between the two neighboring nations," the statement added.
Efforts to bring Congo and the rebels to the negotiation table have consistently failed.
The two parties were scheduled to engage in direct discussions for the first time in Angola last week after Kinshasa lifted its long-standing refusal to negotiate with the rebels. However, M23 subsequently withdrew in protest of European Union sanctions against its leaders and Rwandan officials.
In May 2022, during an AU summit in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea, the AU designated Angolan President Joao Lourenco to spearhead mediation efforts aimed at alleviating tensions and fostering peace between the DRC and Rwanda. Since then, Angola has initiated multiple projects to encourage dialogue between the two nations.
