The M23 rebel group, backed by Rwanda, has announced on Monday March 17 its withdrawal from peace talks scheduled for this March 18 with the Congolese Government, citing the imposition of international sanctions on its members and ongoing military actions by Congo’s armed forces.
The talks were set to begin in Angola’s capital, Luanda, on Tuesday. M23’s spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, stated that the sanctions imposed by the European Union had made the dialogue “impracticable” and that ongoing military offensives in eastern Congo by the Congolese army had further undermined the peace process.
While M23’s decision to withdraw has thrown the peace talks into uncertainty, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) confirmed its participation in the dialogue, with a delegation already en route to Luanda. The conflict, which has intensified since January, saw M23 rebels capture the strategically significant cities of Goma and Bukavu, escalating the humanitarian crisis in the region. The violence has displaced over seven million people, and the conflict has become one of the world’s most severe crises, with numerous armed groups vying for control over the mineral-rich eastern region of the DRC.
International pressure on Rwanda has been mounting, with the European Union recently imposing sanctions on five Rwandan nationals, including the commander of Rwanda’s special forces deployed in Congo, and sanctioning Rwanda’s only gold refinery. The sanctions aim to curb the illegal extraction and trafficking of valuable minerals from eastern Congo, which has fuelled much of the conflict. Meanwhile, the United States has expressed interest in forming economic and security partnerships with the DRC, underscoring the importance of peace for potential investment in the country’s mineral-rich sectors.