A tripartite Angola-Rwanda-DRC summit will be held in Luanda on 15 December 2024, under the auspices of Angolan President

 A tripartite Angola-Rwanda-DRC summit will be held in Luanda on 15 December 2024, under the auspices of Angolan President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, the African Union-appointed mediator for the conflict in eastern DRC. The summit will bring together Presidents Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC, Paul Kagame of Rwanda, and their Angolan counterpart, in order to accelerate stabilisation efforts in the violence-plagued region.

This summit comes after a major breakthrough made on November 25, when the foreign ministers of the DRC and Rwanda signed a "Concept of Operations" (CONOPS) in Luanda. This strategic document, approved at the sixth ministerial meeting under Angolan mediation, sets out the modalities for action against the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the gradual withdrawal of Rwandan forces present in Congolese territory.

A four-phase plan

The CONOPS envisages a four-stage implementation. The first phase, scheduled to last fifteen days, will consist of assessing the threat posed by the FDLR and locating their positions. At the same time, Rwanda will have to provide detailed information on its "defensive measures" and commit to ceasing all cross-border incursions.

The second phase involves targeted actions to neutralize the FDLR and their allies, followed by a joint assessment of progress made. Then, a third phase will focus on a review of operations to assess their effectiveness. Finally, the fourth stage will focus on stabilization, with the demobilization, repatriation and reintegration of ex-FDLR combatants, as well as the normalization of bilateral relations between Kinshasa and Kigali.

Challenges and hopes

This plan aims to restore trust between the two countries and ensure a secure environment for the resumption of socio-economic activities in eastern DRC. However, several challenges remain, including the risk of FDLR reprisals against civilians, the stigmatization of certain communities, and the importance of strong political commitment to build genuine mutual trust.

MONUSCO Head Bintou Keita welcomed the initiative and reaffirmed the UN mission's support for the verification mechanism established by the Angolan mediation. She also called for respect for the ceasefire, in force since 4 August 2024, to ensure the success of the plan.

International support

Peter Stano, Spokesperson for External Affairs of the European Union, also expressed his support for this initiative and reaffirmed the EU's commitment to supporting peace efforts in the region.

Despite months of fruitless negotiations, the signing of this document marks a significant diplomatic breakthrough. It remains to be seen whether this new framework will translate into concrete progress on the ground, where tensions remain high.