Peace talks between the M23 rebels and the Democratic Republic of Congo will start on March 18 in Luanda, the capital of Angola. The presidency of Angola announced this on Wednesday in a statement, writing international press agencies. In the east of Congo there are constant fights between the government army and rebels, with many civilian casualties already fell. Congo has not yet confirmed to be present at the consultation in Luanda.
The Angolan government announced on Tuesday that it wanted to mediate a sustainable ceasefire between Congo and the paramilitary rebel group M23, to reduce tensions between neighboring countries Congo and Rwanda. Rwanda is accused of supporting the infamous M23 rebels in their fight against the Congolese government army, but denies these allegations itself.
To date, the Congolese government has refused to sit down at the table with the M23 rebels, and the government also remains silent on Angola’s proposal. Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi was in Angola on Tuesday to discuss the possibility of peace negotiations. His spokesperson said the same day that the Congolese acknowledge the Angolan “mediation initiative and look forward to its implementation.”
M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa Pocht in a message on X That he had forced Félix Tshisekedi, the president of Congo, to the negotiating table and called it “the only civilized option to resolve the current crisis.”