The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the M23 rebel faction are set to engage in direct peace negotiations on March 18, as announced by Angola on Wednesday.
A statement from the office of Angolan President João Lourenço indicated that these “peace negotiations” will take place in Luanda, the capital of Angola.
Angola has been serving as a mediator in the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, which intensified in late January.
The rapid advance of the Rwanda-supported rebels led to their capture of the strategically important city of Goma in eastern Congo, followed by the seizure of Bukavu, the region’s second-largest city, last month.
Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi has previously declined to engage directly with the M23 group.
This announcement follows a series of previously canceled peace talks organized by Angola, which had focused on the Rwandan supporters of the M23 rather than the group itself.
While Kigali denies providing support to the Tutsi-led rebels, United Nations experts assert that approximately 4,000 Rwandan troops are backing the M23.
This armed group is among around 100 factions competing for influence in the mineral-rich eastern DRC.
The ongoing conflict has resulted in one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally, displacing over seven million individuals.
