Congo and M23 Rebel Group to Engage in Peace Talks on March 18

The Congolese government and M23 rebel group are set to engage in peace talks on March 18 in Luanda, Angola. This follows escalating tensions due to M23’s recent military advances in eastern Congo and aims to broker a peace agreement amid a severe humanitarian crisis affecting millions.

The Angolan government has announced that the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the M23 rebel group will engage in peace talks on March 18. This initiative, led by Angolan President João Lourenço, will take place in Luanda, the capital of Angola. The aim of these discussions is to establish direct peace negotiations amid ongoing violence in eastern Congo.

The conflict escalated in late January when M23, reportedly backed by Rwanda, made significant territorial gains, including the capture of Goma, a strategic city in eastern Congo. Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi recently visited Angola to facilitate the talks, following a series of previous negotiations that excluded M23 and concentrated on its Rwandan allies.

M23 is among approximately 100 armed groups operating in the mineral-rich eastern Congo, a region besieged by one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally, with over 7 million individuals displaced. Reports from U.N. experts indicate that the rebel group is bolstered by around 4,000 Rwandan troops and has made ambitions to reach Kinshasa, the capital of Congo, which lies over 1,000 miles away.

In conclusion, the scheduled peace talks between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group in Luanda aim to address the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, which has resulted in a significant humanitarian crisis. Mediated by Angola, these negotiations come after previous unsuccessful attempts to engage with M23 and highlight the necessity for a peaceful resolution to the instability in the region.

Original Source: www.elpasoinc.com