Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Angolan President João LourençoRwandan President Paul Kagame and Angolan President João Lourenço, met in Luanda on Monday to discuss security in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The meeting is part of an effort to find African solutions to African problems, with President Lourenço serving as the African Union mediator in the conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
President Lourenço expressed grave concern about the ongoing insecurity in eastern DRC. President Felix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has accused Rwanda of supporting rebels in the region, resulting in violence and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of civilians. Rwanda, on the other hand, asserts its right to defend its borders, particularly in the North Kivu Province, where rebel activity is concentrated.
In late February, President Tshisekedi met with President Lourenço to kick off the process of establishing a dialogue between Rwanda and the DRC. Tshisekedi agreed ‘in principle’ to meet with Kagame, but no meeting has yet taken place. The meeting between Tshisekedi and Lourenço resulted in the creation of the ‘Luanda Roadmap,’ which aims to bring peace to the eastern DRC region. However, no specifics of the roadmap have been released.
President Kagame’s visit to Angola is part of a one-day working trip, with little information about the itinerary. The two leaders are expected to focus on resolving the crisis in eastern DRC and expanding the dialogue between Rwanda and DRC.
The meeting in Luanda emphasizes the importance of African leaders collaborating to address the continent’s conflicts and find long-term solutions. With President Lourenço leading the mediation efforts and President Kagame actively working to find a solution, there is hope for progress in bringing peace and stability to the eastern DRC region.
The meeting between President Kagame and President Lourenço in Angola demonstrates African leaders’ commitment to working together to address continent-wide challenges and find African solutions to African problems.
