The Angolan presidency announced on Monday that President João Lourenço is stepping down from his role as mediator in the conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, just as the M23 rebel group declared a partial withdrawal from the strategic town of Walikale.
In an official statement, Luanda explained its decision to “relinquish the responsibility of mediating this conflict in eastern DRC” to “focus more broadly on the general priorities set by the continental organisation,” nearly two months after assuming the rotating
presidency of the African Union.
The withdrawal comes amid a shifting diplomatic landscape, notably marked by Qatar’s emergence as a potential new facilitator.
On 18 March, a trilateral meeting took place in Doha under the auspices of Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, bringing together Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi.
Rebel Withdrawal from Walikale
Meanwhile, the Congo River Alliance (AFC/M23) announced on Sunday its intent to pull its forces from Walikale and surrounding areas in North Kivu province, “to foster conditions conducive to peace initiatives,” according to an official statement issued from Goma.
This move aligns with the unilateral ceasefire declared by the armed group on 22 February 2025 and follows the joint Qatar-DRC-Rwanda statement of 18 March.
In response, the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (FARDC) stated they would “monitor the withdrawal with vigilance” as far east as Kibati and pledged to refrain from offensive actions against “enemy forces.”
Failure of Luanda Negotiations
The Angolan mediation had previously secured notable progress in December 2024, with the DRC agreeing to neutralise the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) rebels and Rwanda promising to withdraw its troops from Congolese territory.
However, a summit scheduled for 15 December in Luanda failed to materialise “due to Rwanda’s absence,” the statement noted.
More recently, an attempt at direct talks between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel movement, planned for 18 March in Luanda, also collapsed – partly due to M23’s refusal to participate following European sanctions targeting some of its leaders.
Angola lamented “external factors foreign to the ongoing African process” that contributed to this failure, possibly alluding to the parallel Qatari initiative.
The African Union Commission is expected to appoint “in the coming days” a new head of state to take over the mediation, with support from the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community.
This complex diplomatic development unfolds as violence persists in eastern DRC, a mineral-rich region plagued by numerous armed groups for nearly three decades.
AC/te/sf/lb/jn/APA