Peace summit on eastern DRC conflicts “called off”

KINSHASA, DRC | Xinhua | A peace summit scheduled for Sunday to address conflicts in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) was “called off,” the DRC presidential office said.

Angolan President Joao Lourenco was set to host DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame in a bid to ease tensions gripping the eastern DRC.

According to Kinshasa, the Rwandan delegation refused to participate in the meeting, leading to its cancellation. Tshisekedi arrived in Luanda early Sunday for the summit and met with his Angolan counterpart.

Neither Angola nor Rwanda has issued an official statement regarding the cancellation of the summit.

The meeting was part of the Luanda Process, a peace initiative launched in 2022 and endorsed by the African Union, aimed at accelerating stabilization efforts in the region.

The eastern DRC continues to face instability due to the M23 rebel group, which has been advancing and seizing large areas of territory. The DRC government accuses Rwanda of providing military support to the M23, an allegation Kigali denies.

While denying ties to the M23, Rwanda has accused the DRC military of collaborating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a Rwandan rebel group whose members are blamed for the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda. ■