Angola has acted as a mediator in the conflict in eastern Congo, which escalated in late January when the Rwanda-backed rebels advanced and took control of the strategic eastern Congo city of Goma. In February, M23 seized Bukavu, eastern Congo’s second biggest city.

The Democratic Republic of Congo government and the M23 rebel group are to hold direct peace talks on 18 March, Angola said Wednesday. A statement from Angolan President João Lourenço’s office said they would begin “peace negotiations” in the Angolan capital,

Angola said on Tuesday it would attempt to broker direct talks between Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels in the coming days.

Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels will engage in direct negotiations in the coming days to end the conflict in the country’s mineral-rich east, according to the presidency of Angola, which will mediate the talks.

Angolan President Joao Lourenco, the African Union’s peace mediator for the conflict in Congo, is pushing for direct talks between Kinshasa and M23 rebel group - Anadolu Ajansı

Direct peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels will begin in the Angolan capital on March 18, Angola's presidency said in a statement on Wednesday.

Democratic Republic of Congo is considering sending representatives to peace talks that Angola plans to host next week which would mark its first direct negotiations with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group,

Southern African nation keen to contribute to ending long-running conflict in eastern Congo, presidency says - Anadolu Ajansı

Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi has long ruled out dialogue with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels rampaging through eastern parts of his country, but a string of defeats and waning regional support have forced him think again.