Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi, who previously ruled out dialogue with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in eastern Congo, is now considering direct talks in Angola on March 18. As the rebels continue to seize territory rich in minerals, Tshisekedi’s government is facing pressure to engage in dialogue as regional powers view it as the only solution to stop the fighting.
With the Congolese army offering weak resistance to the rebel advance, African countries are in support of engagement with M23 to find a solution. However, sitting down with M23 would be unpopular in Kinshasa and would mark the failure of Tshisekedi’s military approach. Angola’s intervention in facilitating talks may be a strategic move to prevent the conflict from escalating into a larger regional war.
Despite the lack of faith in Tshisekedi’s ability to defeat the rebels militarily, the withdrawal of a regional deployment aimed at fighting rebels signifies a blow to the support for Congo. The Angola-hosted talks would need to address concerns about the framework and compliance with regional decisions to resolve the conflict.
Overall, Tshisekedi’s potential shift towards dialogue with M23 reflects a challenging situation where military solutions have not been successful, and regional support is waning. The outcome of the upcoming talks in Angola will be crucial in determining the future course of the conflict in eastern Congo.
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