Angola will host a summit on December 15 to advance peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, focusing on the volatile eastern DRC.
The summit follows Angola’s role in brokering a ceasefire in August, which briefly stabilized the situation.
Since 2021, the M23 rebel group, backed by Kigali and largely composed of ethnic Tutsis, has seized large areas in the eastern DRC, displacing thousands.
Although a fragile truce was established in early August, the M23 resumed offensives in late October.
Despite ongoing violations of the ceasefire, diplomatic discussions continue, with Angola mediating.
In November, DRC and Rwanda set up a committee to monitor ceasefire breaches, led by Angola.
The summit, called by Angolan President Joao Lourenco, aims to find a lasting solution to the conflict.
A recent agreement between Kinshasa and Kigali includes a “concept of operations” to guide the disengagement of Rwandan troops from Congolese territory.
The plan also sets conditions for dismantling the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), a militia linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide.
The presence of FDLR fighters, alongside Congolese forces, has been a key factor in the region’s instability.
Angola’s efforts seek to address the broader challenges in the DRC’s mineral-rich east, which has faced decades of internal and cross-border violence.