Luanda, Angola – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa met with Angolan President João Lourenço in Luanda on Thursday, August 8, to discuss the escalating crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The talks focused on finding solutions to the conflict that has destabilized the region.
Ramaphosa’s office confirmed that the leaders would share perspectives on the situation in the DRC and discuss ongoing regional and continental efforts to resolve conflicts in Africa. The visit comes at a critical time as South Africa leads a military mission under the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in the troubled eastern DRC.
In December, South Africa deployed 2,900 troops to the conflict zone as part of the SADC regional force, aiming to quell the violence that has plagued the area for years.
Lourenço is the mediator of the Luanda Process, an African Union-backed initiative that seeks to restore peace in eastern DRC and ease tensions between Rwanda and the DRC, tensions that have worsened due to the ongoing conflict.
The meeting follows a significant development on July 30, when foreign ministers from Rwanda, Angola, and the DRC agreed on a ceasefire between the Congolese army and M23 rebels in North Kivu province. The ceasefire, which took effect on August 5, is open-ended and marks a crucial step towards reducing hostilities.
This visit also comes after a meeting in Luanda on August 7, where intelligence officials from Angola, Rwanda, and the DRC discussed the conflict, including efforts to neutralize the FDLR, a militia group with ties to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
Ramaphosa’s trip was announced following a phone call between Lourenço and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. During the call, Blinken commended Angola’s role in promoting peace in eastern DRC and supporting the ceasefire efforts.
While the outcome of Ramaphosa’s discussions with Lourenço remains uncertain, the South African president has previously stressed the need for a political solution to the conflict during a visit to Rwanda in April.
Despite these diplomatic efforts, Ramaphosa has faced criticism from South Africa’s opposition parties for deploying troops to the DRC, arguing that the soldiers lack the necessary training to confront the M23 rebels. The conflict, now in its third year, has already claimed the lives of at least seven South African soldiers.
