Democratic Republic of the Congo

Three years after Ugandan troops crossed into eastern Democratic Republic of Congo to fight rebels linked to the Islamic State, their mission has yielded mixed results, with accusations that Kampala is secretly supporting another Congolese rebel group raising questions about its motives. 

Ceasefire-broker Angola will host a summit on December 15 to advance peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda about the DRC's troubled east, the presidency said on Monday.

[…] On Monday, Kinshasa and Kigali's foreign ministers approved a concept of operations document, a "key instrument" supposed to set out the terms by which Rwandan troops will disengage from Congolese territory, Angola's foreign ministry said in a statement.

Pascal Kambale, a Congolese researcher and human rights lawyer based in Goma, helps unpack the complex array of security actors present in the eastern DRC and how they are perceived by local Congolese.

Opposition politicians in Democratic Republic of Congo called on Wednesday for nationwide protests against President Felix Tshisekedi's plans to revise the constitution. Sworn into office in January for a second and final term, Tshisekedi said in October a commission would be established to suggest potential changes to the constitution. Critics have said it could be a tactic to remove term limits and allow him to run again.

Southern Africa's regional bloc on Wednesday extended by a year its troop deployment in Democratic Republic of Congo, where it is helping the government fight rebel groups.

Congolese and Rwandan ministers have met on Congolese soil, under Angolan mediation. It’s an important step forward in the Angola-mediated peace process designed to end the M23 conflict. Tensions are still high, however, and fighting is still happening on the ground. 

Rwanda-DRC talks have resumed, but whether they can shift the fundamental barriers to peace remains to be seen. … The Luanda Process was established as part of the 2022 Luanda Roadmap, aimed at defusing tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and bringing peace to east DRC. 

[…] The head of state addressed with his two counterparts the latest updates within the scope of ongoing efforts of the Luanda process, as well as the next steps to achieve a lasting peace solution to the crisis affecting the eastern region of the DRC.

The government of Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) have agreed to continue joint military operations against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels, signalling the persistent problem of the armed group for both countries.