Angola proposes February 18 ceasefire between DR Congo and M23 rebels

Angola has proposed a ceasefire between the Democratic Republic of Congo government and M23 rebels, to take effect on February 18.

The proposal follows talks in Luanda attended by Angolan President Joao Lourenco, DRC President Felix Tshisekedi , President of Togo's Council of Ministers and AU Mediator Faure Gnassingbe, and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who represents an AU-appointed panel of former heads of state facilitating the DRC peace process.

Angolan authorities said the truce would depend on a  "public declaration of acceptance" by the parties.  They added that the launch of a preparatory phase for inter-Congolese dialogue, expected to be held in Luanda, would be announced at a later stage.

The proposal has not yet been formally endorsed.

Rwanda's Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe reacted skeptically, saying previous ceasefires and peace declarations agreed in 2024 and 2025 had been violated and warned that a new deal would fail without the necessary action from DRC and the international community.

"We can stack peace agreements or ceasefire declarations infinitely, but as long as there is no political will from Kinshasa to end its airstrikes and artillery attacks, as long as President Tshisekedi remains haunted by the obsession with an improbable military solution, and as long as the international community continues to turn a blind eye to Kinshasa's whims, acting solely as it pleases in violation of all these agreements, it will be in vain," Nduhungirehe said in a post on X.

Story compiled with assistance from wire reports.