A planned Angola Peace Summit between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda, scheduled for December 15, 2024, was abruptly canceled after talks aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC reached a deadlock.

The Primary Objective of Angola Peace Summit was to facilitate a direct meeting between DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, under the mediation of Angolan President Joao Lourenco, in order to address the M23 rebel insurgency in North Kivu province, which has displaced over 1.9 million people and heightened regional tensions.

The cancellation leading to failure of the Angola Peace Summit resulted from Rwanda’s insistence that the DRC accept to engage in direct negotiations with the M23 rebels, a condition the DRC government firmly denied. Rwanda’s foreign ministry stated that the lack of consensus made it non-viable to sign the proposed peace agreement.

Since 2021, M23 Rebels have captured lot of territories in the DRC and Caused displacement of thousands of people, including humanitarian crisis. As per reports, Rwandan President Paul Kagame has cancelled his travel plans, because Angola Peace Summit has been annulled. Currently, The M23 militia and Rwandan army have almost encircled Goma, the capital of North Kivu province in the DRC, which is home to over a million residents and nearly another million displaced people crowded into camps.

“Rwanda is now making the signing of an agreement conditional on direct dialogue between us and the M23, which has never been planned since the beginning of the discussions,” – DRC Congo

“Our country continues to face persistent rebellions, including the aggression by the Rwandan army and the M23 terrorists,”- DRC President Felix Tshisekedi

If the Angola Peace Summit had been successful, there was a chance it could have included a deal for Rwanda to dismantle its defensive measures in exchange for the DRC eliminating the Hutu rebel group, the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

The Roots of the 30-Year Conflict in Eastern DRC

The conflict in eastern DRC can be traced back to the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, which saw over two million Hutu refugees flee to neighboring Congo, including members of the extremist militia responsible for the genocide. This influx increased the ethnic tensions and caused the First Congo War (1996-1997), where regional actors intervened militarily.

The Second Congo War (1998-2003) followed shortly after, involving multiple African nations and earning the grim title of “Africa’s World War.” Although an official peace agreement was signed in 2003, the eastern DRC has remained in turmoil. A horde of rebel groups, including the notorious M23, have continued fighting, trying to gain control over the region’s abundant mineral resources and strategic territories. This has left the local population engulfed in a series of violence, displacement, and poverty.

The 30-year conflict in eastern DRC is an unfortunate tale of missed opportunities, deep mistrust, and unending violence. The failure of the Angola peace summit is a reminder of how fragile peace efforts are and how difficult it is to resolve long-standing conflicts without mutual commitment. Africa, in the bigger picture in the world, in its effort to be part of security council, mut make efforts to resolve the militia situations and uphold rights & safety of African people.

Yet, for the millions affected by this crisis, the world cannot afford to give up. Peace remains elusive, but it must not remain impossible.