Angola Mediates Congolese-Rwandan Talks to Address Eastern Congo Crisis
Angolan President Joao Lourenço, acting as a mediator appointed by the African Union, welcomed his Congolese counterpart, President Antoine Félix Tshisekedi Tshilombo, in Luanda last week to discuss the prevailing situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The key outcome of the meeting was President Tshisekedi’s acceptance of the principle of a meeting with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, according to Foreign Relations Minister Tete António.
“The Republic of Angola, in its role as mediator, bears the responsibility of facilitating the necessary steps to materialize this meeting,” Minister António stated.
However, he remained discreet about the operational details, emphasizing the overarching objective of restoring lasting peace to eastern DRC and the wider Congo region. Notably, President Kagame has not imposed any preconditions for the meeting.
The upcoming step involves a meeting in March between Presidents Joao Lourenço and Paul Kagame. Minister António reiterated the commitment to work alongside Angola as a mediator, focusing on the necessary measures to actualize the proposed meeting without delving into specifics at this juncture.
These diplomatic efforts follow the mini-summit on the security situation in eastern DRC initiated by President Joao Lourenço in Addis Ababa on February 16, 2024.
