Angola-Mediated Peace Talks Between Rwanda and Congo Collapse

Negotiations falter over Rwanda's demand for direct talks with M23 rebels, deepening the humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo.

Peace talks between Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, scheduled in Angola, were unexpectedly canceled due to Rwanda's refusal to participate.
Rwanda conditioned any peace agreement on Congo holding direct negotiations with the M23 rebel group, a demand Congo rejected.
The M23 insurgency, active since 2021, has displaced over 7 million people and created one of the world's largest humanitarian crises in mineral-rich eastern Congo.
Congo and the United Nations accuse Rwanda of backing M23 rebels, while Rwanda denies these allegations but acknowledges deploying troops in eastern Congo for security reasons.
A fragile ceasefire mediated in August has deteriorated, with intensified fighting since October and accusations of civilian killings by M23 rebels, which the group denies.