Luanda - The President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbé, left Luanda on Wednesday, after a working meeting with his Angolan counterpart and chairperson of the African Union (AU), João Lourenço.

Recently appointed by the AU as mediator in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Faure Gnassingbé was bid farewell by the Foreign Affairs minister, Téte António.

During the two-hour meeeting, the two leaders discussed the situation in the DRC, which has been facing a resurgence of violence since January 2025.

The offensive has already resulted in thousands of deaths and forced the displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, raising fears of a wider regional conflict.

The appointment of President Faure Gnassingbé comes at a critical time, following the failure of direct negotiations between the DRC government and the M23 rebel group, which withdrew from talks scheduled for March in Luanda.

João Lourenço has stepped down from mediation in the conflict between the Congolese armed forces and the M23 armed group to focus on the rotating presidency of the AU. VIC/AMP