“Unfortunately, the president of Angola postponed the trip, because Angola assumed the presidency of the African Union, a great responsibility and great prestige,” José Ramos-Horta told journalists at Dili airport.
The Timorese head of state explained that the African Union faces some serious problems, including the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRCongo).
It is worth remembering that João Lourenço. who this month assumed Angola's rotating presidency of the AU, a mandate that extends until February 2026, is the mediator appointed by the organization for the conflict in eastern DR Congo.
After seizing Goma, the capital of North Kivu province, in a lightning offensive in late January, the Rwandan-backed M23 movement also took control of Bukavu in neighboring South Kivu province on Sunday.
Around four thousand Rwandan soldiers are present in eastern DR Congo and the latest fighting has already caused almost three thousand deaths, according to the UN.
Kinshasa accuses its neighbor of "expansionist ambitions" and of wanting to plunder the rich resources of these two provinces, something denied by Kigali, which does not confirm its presence in the DR Congo.
“It is a great responsibility for Angola, as president of the African Union, and it will be very difficult for the president to maintain any visit program here or to the region. The President wanted to go to Australia and Indonesia. “It is very difficult as president of the African Union to travel to ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations],” said José Ramos-Horta, highlighting that Timor-Leste “understands the situation perfectly.”
The President of the Republic was due to make an official visit to East Timor between 9 and 11 March.
