Democratic Republic of Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi held talks along with his Angolan counterpart Joao Lourenco aimed toward assessing the safety scenario in jap Congo, an official stated Sunday.
The talks passed off on Saturday in Luanda, Angola’s capital, amid a faltering cease-fire introduced by M23 rebels preventing in DR Congo’s jap North Kivu province, in response to Congolese Foreign Minister Christophe Lutundula.
The African Union appointed Lourenco to mediate talks between the M23 insurgent group and the federal government.
Angola’s parliament on Friday authorised the nation’s deployment of as much as 500 troops to assist peacekeeping operations in jap Democratic Republic of Congo, after a cease-fire brokered by Luanda between rebels and authorities faltered.
The Angolan mission could have an preliminary period of 12 months.
“The meeting allowed the two heads of state to assess the peace process led by the Angolan president in his capacity as mediator appointed by the African Union. They also discussed the mandate of the Angolan military contingent,” Lutundula informed reporters.
Since its reemergence in late 2021, the insurgent group has occupied key cities in North Kivu province.
The preventing has heightened tensions between Rwanda and the neighboring DR Congo authorities.
Kinshasa accuses Kigali of backing the insurgent group, a cost Rwanda persistently denies.
The rebels earlier this month agreed to stop hostilities following mediation by Lourenco.
But there have been accusations and counter-accusations of cease-fire violations.
During the Saturday assembly, Lourenco emphasised the necessity to proceed engagement between the Congolese authorities, Rwanda and M23 management with regard to the cessation of hostilities, in response to the presidency in Angola.
Source: www.anews.com.tr
