PREVIEW
Angola’s last-minute cancellation of negotiations leaves the Kivu war deadlock unresolved, with intensified fighting since October
The eleventh-hour cancellation of peace talks between Congo-Kinshasa and Rwanda by the Angolan government mediating the talks, means that the deadlock over the Kivu war will continue into 2025.
The cancellation came just hours before the meeting between Presidents Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame was due to be held in Luanda on 15 December, Instead, Angolan President João Lourenço held a private meeting with Tshisekedi. Lourenço has been tasked by the African Union with mediating talks to end the conflict (Dispatches 8/10/24, Macron fails to broker Kinshasa-Kigali talks at Francophone summit).
In the spin battle following the announcement, Kinshasa claimed that Rwanda’s Kagame had refused to attend. This was denied by Rwandan officials.
Both sides concur that the sticking point is Rwanda’s demand for Kinshasa to engage in direct talks with the M23 militia. Congo-K contends that since M23 is supported by Kigali, any peace deal would mean the withdrawal of Rwandan troops, including M23 from its soil.
Despite a brief truce in August, fighting has intensified since late October. According to a United Nations expert group report, 3,000 to 4,000 Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda are fighting alongside the M23 in the Kivus (AC Vol 65 No 15, Kinshasa urges sanctions on Kigali citing damning UN report).
Rwanda denies that it backs the M23 – though this is disputed by the UN and wider international community – but has admitted that it has troops and missile systems in eastern Congo-K to protect its borders and security.
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