Rwanda and Congo cancel peace talks [Video]

GOMA, Congo –

Planned face-to-face peace talks between Congo and Rwanda have been unexpectedly canceled, the Congolese president said.

Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame were set to meet Sunday in Angola, which has been mediating the conflict to put an end to a decades-long conflict in eastern Congo between the Congolese army and M23 rebel group, which is allegedly backed by Rwanda.

The Congolese presidency said in a post on X that the Rwandan delegation refused to take part in the meeting. On Saturday, Rwanda had made the signing of a peace agreement conditional on a direct dialogue between Congo and the M23 rebels, which Congo refused, the presidency added.

Rwanda’s government said in a statement that the meeting was postponed.

“No consensus was reached between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo on a commitment to direct talks with the Congolese rebel group M23,” read the statement. “This …