Angola’s President João Lourenço has renewed diplomatic efforts to promote peace in the conflict-plagued eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), calling on warring parties to agree to a ceasefire and revitalize peace negotiations aimed at ending years of violence in the mineral-rich region.
On February 10, 2026, President Lourenço also serving as chair of the African Union (AU) met with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and other AU mediators in Luanda, Angola, where they jointly called for an immediate ceasefire and urged all sides to implement previously agreed ceasefire verification mechanisms from the 2025 Doha framework.
The eastern DRC has endured continuous instability, with the M23 rebel group and other armed factions driving fighting that has at times displaced millions of civilians and destabilised regional security. Angola’s appeal emphasised that peace and security cannot be achieved by force alone and highlighted the need for inclusive dialogue involving both government and non-state actors.
Lourenço reiterated Angola’s backing for international and regional peace efforts, including US-brokered agreements and AU facilitation, and said Luanda would help coordinate consultations with all Congolese parties to accelerate talks and foster lasting reconciliation. The renewed push reflects broader continental concern about humanitarian suffering and spill-over tensions in the Great Lakes region.