Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels are set to engage in direct peace talks next week.
According to a statement from Angolan President Joao Lourenco’s office, the negotiations are set to begin on March 18 in Luanda, Angola.
This announcement follows the escalation of conflict in eastern DRC, which saw the M23 rebels capture the strategic city of Goma in January and Bukavu in February.
The DRC government, which has received an invitation to the talks, has yet to confirm its participation.
Rwanda denies backing the M23, though the conflict is rooted in historical tensions linked to the aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and the struggle for control over Congo’s mineral wealth.
M23 leader, Bertrand Bisimwa has called the talks a necessary step, saying they offer the “only civilized option” to resolve the crisis.
Since January, the conflict has claimed at least 7,000 lives, and the United Nations estimates that nearly 80,000 people have fled the country, with many seeking refuge in neighbouring Burundi.
The conflict in eastern DRC remains one of Africa’s deadliest, with over 100 armed groups vying for control of the region’s vast resources, including coltan, cobalt, and lithium.
The growing involvement of neighbouring countries, such as South Africa, Burundi, and Uganda, has heightened fears of a broader regional war, echoing the devastating Congo wars of the 1990s and early 2000s.
