**KIGALI, Rwanda**
Angola has ended its role as key African Union mediator between Congolese M23 rebels, the Democratic Republic of Congo government, and Rwanda, the president’s office announced on Monday, amid frustration over recent flopped direct talks between the rebels and Kinshasa.
In a statement, the Angolan president’s office cited President Joao Lourenco’s role as the chairperson of the African Union, which he assumed in February, as his main focus going forward.
The announcement comes after the latest attempt to broker direct talks between M23 rebels and the Congolese government scheduled for March 18 in the Angolan capital Luanda failed. The rebels, who are at the center of the conflict in eastern Congo, canceled their participation, citing sanctions imposed by the European Union on several of their senior leaders.
“Two months after taking over the chairmanship of the African Union, Angola considers that it is time to free itself from the responsibility of mediator of this conflict in the east of the DRC entrusted to it,” the statement said.
“With the African Union Commission, work will be done so that we can find, in the coming days, the head of state of a country who can assume this role of mediator of the conflict between the DRC and Rwanda, who will be supported, of course, by the countries of SADC, the East African Community, and the designated facilitators of the conflict.”
Chairperson of the African Union Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf has acknowledged Angola’s leadership in supporting dialogue on the crisis in eastern Congo through the Luanda Process.
In a statement last week, Youssouf commended Lourenco for his sustained engagement and commitment to advancing dialogue, de-escalation, and confidence-building between the parties.
Through his mediation efforts, President Lourenco had managed to convince the Congolese government and the M23 rebels allegedly supported by Rwanda to engage in direct talks, a position initially opposed by Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi.
On July 30, 2024, a ministerial meeting on the security and peace situation in eastern Congo resulted in a ceasefire in the Angolan capital Luanda from Aug. 4 of that year.
Last week, Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame held surprise talks in Doha, the latest meeting since the M23 seized the provincial capitals of Goma and Bukavu this year.
The talks were brokered by Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
In less than three months, the number of Congolese fleeing the conflict to neighboring countries has surged to over 100,000, the UN said on Friday.
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