Angola ends east Congo conflict mediation role

Angolan President João Lourenço.

Photo credit: File | AFP

Angola will step down from its position as a mediator between parties involved in an escalating Rwanda-backed rebel offensive in eastern Congo, the presidency said on Monday, with another African state set to lead efforts to get peace talks back on track.

The M23 escalated their long-standing rebellion this year, seizing east Congo’s two biggest cities since January and encroaching into territory rich in minerals such as gold and tantalum.