The Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23) has sent a five-member delegation to Luanda, the capital of Angola, on Monday, March 17, 2025, to participate in direct peace talks with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka.
The direct dialogue was announced by Angola on Tuesday, March 11, 2025, following a brief visit by DRC President Félix Tshisekedi to Luanda.
This could mark the first direct engagement between the Congolese government and the M23 rebel group.
President Tshisekedi has consistently rejected direct talks with M23.
However, the M23 rebels, part of the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), have taken control of Goma and Bukavu, two major cities in eastern DRC.
This has forced government troops—along with their coalition partners, including Burundian forces, troops from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), European mercenaries, the FDLR (a UN-sanctioned militia linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda), and local armed groups known as Wazalendo—to either flee or surrender.
According to AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka, the delegation was sent to Luanda at the request of Angolan authorities.
“The AFC/M23 reiterates its deep gratitude to His Excellency President João Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola, for his tireless efforts in favor of a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict in the DRC,” Kanyuka wrote on his X account.
Recently, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) officially terminated its military mission (SAMIDRC) in eastern DRC and directed a phased withdrawal of its troops from the country. This decision was announced on Thursday, March 13, following an Extraordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the regional bloc, held virtually in Harare, Zimbabwe.