M23 cautiously welcomes Angola-hosted peace talks but urges Tshisekedi to commit to direct negotiations, while past ceasefires have failed to curb ongoing violence in eastern DRC.

The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group cautiously welcomed the possibility of direct negotiations with the Congolese government on Thursday, aiming to end the ongoing conflict in the volatile eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Since its resurgence in 2021, the M23 has been engaged in clashes with the Congolese army, seizing vast areas of the DRC's mineral-rich territory in a region long plagued by violence. In recent months, the group’s rapid advance has raised fears of a broader war that could draw in regional powers. The situation has escalated further following the deaths of Southern African peacekeepers, prompting a regional bloc to announce its decision to withdraw its mission from the DRC on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Angola revealed plans to host peace talks in an attempt to halt the fighting, later confirming March 18 as the date for the negotiations to begin.

The M23, in a statement, expressed a “favorable” stance toward the proposed talks in the Angolan capital, Luanda. However, the armed group also voiced several "concerns," emphasizing the need for Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi to “publicly and unequivocally express his commitment to direct negotiations,” calling it an “absolute necessity.”

Tshisekedi has previously refused to engage directly with the M23, repeatedly labeling it a “terrorist” organization. However, Angolan President Joao Lourenço stated on Tuesday that "direct negotiations" between the two sides would take place following discussions with Tshisekedi.

Tina Salama, spokesperson for Tshisekedi, stated on X that the government had "taken note" of Angola’s mediation efforts but refrained from providing further details.

Multiple rounds of negotiations between the DRC and Rwanda have led to ceasefires and truces, but these have done little to curb the ongoing violence, which has displaced tens of thousands and triggered a severe humanitarian crisis.

Both Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame have previously been absent from negotiations. Tshisekedi has yet to comment on the Angolan proposal, while a planned summit between the two leaders in December fell apart after the DRC refused Rwanda’s request for direct negotiations with the M23.