The Sunday talks, expected to address ongoing tensions between the two nations, were cancelled due to the DRC's refusal to negotiate with the M23 rebel group. This decision contradicts commitments made earlier by the DRC to enter discussions with armed groups, including M23, as part of regional peace efforts.
Minister Nduhungirehe stated, 'The DRC refused discussions with M23, in direct contradiction to what they had agreed to just a few days earlier."
Angola, serving as the mediator in these talks, had notified both parties on November 30, 2024, that the DRC had agreed to dialogue with M23, but the decision was later reversed.
The talks were planned as a follow-up to a series of meetings between officials from Rwanda, DRC, and Angola, aimed at creating a framework for addressing insecurity in eastern Congo.
Rwanda maintains that meaningful peace efforts in the region require the inclusion of M23, as it remains one of the key players in the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC.
Despite the postponement, Angola hosted discussions between Tshisekedi and President João Lourenço, along with an invitation extended to former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, who has been mediating between the DRC government and armed groups through the Nairobi process.
The M23 group, active since resuming fighting in late 2021, has called for negotiations to address grievances, including alleged persecution of Congolese Tutsi communities.
In earlier peace talks convened in Nairobi in 2022, M23 representatives were expelled after being accused of reigniting hostilities, further complicating the conflict resolution process.
IGIHE
