Angola halts mediation in DR Congo crisis

Angola has officially stepped down from its role as a mediator in the ongoing security crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The Angolan government stated that it had been facilitating dialogue for the past four years, helping conflicting parties make “significant progress” in negotiations. However, challenges such as the absence of key participants—like the December 2024 and March 2025 meetings where the M23 rebel group was supposed to meet with the DRC government—hindered the mediation process.

“The most recent talks were canceled due to various developments at both the African and international levels,” the statement read.

President João Lourenço of Angola had previously announced his decision to step away from the mediation role to focus on his newly assigned duties as Chairperson of the African Union (AU) for 2025.

Despite this decision, Angola expressed support for direct negotiations between the DRC and M23, particularly as part of the broader peace talks that Congo is also seeking with Rwanda.

The African Union is now expected to appoint another head of state to take over the mediation responsibilities.

Meanwhile, Rwandan President Paul Kagame and his Congolese counterpart Félix Tshisekedi recently met in Doha, Qatar, to discuss security concerns in eastern Congo. The mediation was led by Qatar’s Emir.

Following the talks, M23 expressed willingness to engage in dialogue with the DRC government and even withdrew from the town of Walikale, which it had recently captured.

In response, the Congolese government announced a halt to its military offensives against M23, citing progress made during the Qatar-led discussions. Both Rwanda and Qatar welcomed this development as a positive step toward peace.

However, in an official statement, the AFC/M23 rebel movement declared that it would not withdraw its forces from areas such as Bukavu and Goma.

Additionally, M23 accused the Congolese government of using the ceasefire in Walikale as an opportunity to launch attacks on its positions and reinforce its military presence in the region.