Ceasefire agreed in conflict-torn African state – mediator
A ceasefire has reportedly been agreed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), following talks mediated by neighboring Angola and also involving Rwanda. The agreement is set to enter force at midnight on August 4, according to a statement by the Angolan government on Tuesday.
Conflict has been raging in the eastern DR Congo since 2022, driven by forces from the M23 rebel movement, allegedly with support from Rwandan government forces. Rwanda has denied the accusations.
The ceasefire talks were chaired by Angolan Foreign Minister Tete Antonio and included the participation of Rwandan Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe and his Congolese counterpart, Therese Kayikwamba. The truce will be monitored by an ad-hoc reinforced verification mechanism.
The reported ceasefire agreement follows a ministerial session earlier this year, when delegations from the three states underscored the importance of achieving sustainable peace in eastern DR Congo to foster economic development and improve the overall social situation in the neighboring countries.
No details have been provided regarding the duration of the ceasefire.
According to UN estimates, fighting in the DR Congo’s North Kivu province has displaced over 1.7 million people, raising the total number of displaced individuals in the country due to various conflicts to 7.2 million.
On July 8, Congolese authorities announced that the UN stabilization mission (MONUSCO) was halting its planned withdrawal, with no timeline for resuming its pullout. The initial phase of the withdrawal had been completed in June.
The eventual withdrawal of more than 12,000 troops in the DR Congo should take place in three phases over the course of this year, according to a UN Security Council (UNSC) resolution adopted last December.
The UN stabilization mission has been working in the DR Congo since 1999. Its primarily focus has been protecting civilians from armed groups and supporting the government’s efforts to stabilize the situation in the east.
