Congo and Rwanda agree to de-escalate tensions at Angola summit

Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame have agreed at a summit in Angola on a process to de-escalate tensions that have arisen from a rebel insurgency, the Congolese presidency said on Wednesday. The two neighbours have been locking horns since the M23 rebel group began a major offensive in Congo's eastern borderlands at the end of March. Congo accuses Rwanda of backing the group.

Democratic Republic of Congo's President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame have agreed at a summit in Angola on a process to de-escalate tensions that have arisen from a rebel insurgency, the Congolese presidency said on Wednesday.

The two neighbours have been locking horns since the M23 rebel group began a major offensive in Congo's eastern borderlands at the end of March. Congo accuses Rwanda of backing the group. Kigali denies this, and in turn accuses Kinshasa of fighting alongside another armed group intent on seizing power in Kigali.

Angolan President Joao Lourenco has been appointed by the African Union to mediate the talks and restore dialogue between the two parties. The new agreement entails an immediate cessation of hostilities and the retreat of M23 fighters from Congo, and aims to normalise diplomatic relations between Congo and Rwanda, the Congolese presidency said on Twitter.

More talks will be held on July 12 in Luanda, it said.