Angola’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced a ceasefire agreement between the DRC and Rwanda that would come into effect from midnight on August 4.
This follows a peace summit held in Angola’s capital Luanda from July 30 to 31 between Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe and DRC’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula.
A civil war in DRC’s mineral-rich North Kivu province has been raging on for the last 20 years between M23 rebels and the DRC army with multiple broken cease-fire agreements.
Despite reports from both the United Nations and Human Rights Watch alleging that Rwanda is backing the M23 rebels, the Kigali government has denied these accusations.
Press statement by Angola’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X
Since the morning of Tuesday, July 30, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been hosting the 2nd Ministerial Meeting on the Security and Peace Situation in the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The 2nd Ministerial Meeting between the DRCongo and Rwanda, held today in Luanda under the mediation of Angola, agreed on the establishment of a ceasefire that comes into effect from midnight on 4 August 2024.
Angola’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Téte António (middle) with DRC’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula (left), and Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Olivier Nduhungirehe (right).
The United Nations released a statement welcoming the DRC-Rwanda ceasefire agreement saying
The United Nations Organization Mission for Stabilization in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) welcomes the announcement by the Angolan presidency of a ceasefire between the governments of the Republic Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, which will come into force on August 4.The Mission expresses also its availability to support the ad hoc verification mechanism mandated for supervise compliance with the ceasefire, in accordance with its mandate.
This announcement was made during the second meeting of foreign ministers of the two countries, which was held in Luanda, Angola, on July 30, under the mediation of the Angolan President João Lourenço.
The Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations in the DRC, Chief by interim MONUSCO, Mr. Bruno Lemarquis, expresses the support of the Nations United to this agreement, which could promote de-escalation between the two countries and allow safe and dignified return of displaced people to their homes.
“The United Nations wishes to congratulate the Angolan President His Excellency João Lourenço
for his efforts within the framework of the Luanda process,” said Mr. Lemarquis.It reiterates the continued commitment of the United Nations to support efforts to restore peace, security and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo and calls on all parties involved to work constructively to end the violence and achieve a peaceful and lasting solution to conflicts in the region.
Press statement by DRC’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the DRC-Rwanda ceasefire
Ceasefire in DRC from August 4 at midnight. The decision was taken today in Luanda during the ministerial meeting between the DRC and Rwanda, under the mediation of Angola. The ad-hoc verification mechanism will be strengthened for this purpose to supervise the ceasefire.
