Luanda - The presidents of Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda will meet in Luanda on Sunday for a new tripartite summit aimed at finding a lasting solution to the ongoing conflict in the east of the DRC.
The summit is an initiative of the Angolan head of state, João Lourenço, in his capacity as mediator appointed by the African Union (AU), as part of the ongoing efforts to resolve the diplomatic crisis between Rwanda and the DRC.
A few days ago in the Angolan capital, the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda approved a strategic document called the Concept of Operations (C0N0Ps), which will guide the implementation of the Harmonized Plan for the Neutralization of the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).
The strategic document, approved during the sixth ministerial meeting on the peace process in eastern DRC, mediated by Angola, will also facilitate the disengagement of security operations from Rwandan forces.
The delegations were led by DRC Foreign Minister Therese Wagner, Rwandan Foreign Minister Oliver Nduhumgirehe and Angolan Foreign Minister Téte António.
During the meeting, the ministers agreed on the need to make rapid progress in the pending negotiations on the draft agreement presented by President João Lourenço in August.
The agenda of the meeting in Luanda focuses on the adoption of strategic measures and the resolution of outstanding issues to ensure bilateral and regional cooperation for peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.
The ministers reaffirmed the commitment of Angola, the DRC and Rwanda to work together to achieve peaceful solutions and to strengthen cooperation on regional challenges, thus consolidating Angola's role as a key player in regional diplomacy.
President João Lourenço, appointed by the African Union as mediator, expressed hope during his recent visit to South Africa that the Luanda summit would lead to a lasting peace agreement.
"We are optimistic that this meeting will eventually lead to the full signature or the decision to sign a lasting peace agreement between the two neighboring countries soon," the statesman said.
Angola, Rwanda and the DRC have made significant and coordinated efforts to find a definitive solution for security and peace in the east of the DRC.As a mediator, Angola has played a key role in facilitating the political-diplomatic dialogue between Rwanda and the DRC aimed at stabilizing this volatile region of the Great Lakes.
On July 30, delegations from the DRC and Rwanda signed a ceasefire agreement in Luanda between the armed forces of DRC (FARDC) and the M23, which entered into force in the early hours of August 4.
The conflict in eastern DRC is led by the M23 movement, which is allegedly supported by Rwandan government forces.DC/ART/TED/AMP
