In the note, published on the Presidency's page on the Facebook social network, it is noted that the inspection of compliance with the cessation of hostilities will be ensured by the 'Ad Hoc' Verification Mechanism.
"The Republic of Angola calls on the parties to comply with the letter and spirit of the decisions of the various summits on the peace and security process in the eastern region of the DRC", the statement said.
According to the note, it is announced that "in accordance with the decision taken by the Mini Summit on peace and security in the Great Lakes region, held in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, on February 17, 2023, the Heads of State and Government mandated" Angola, in coordination with the former President of Kenya, Uhuru Kennyatta, Facilitator appointed by the East Africa Commission "to maintain contact with the leadership of the rebel group March 23 Movement (M23), "in order to transmit the decisions taken of the Addis Abeba Mini Summit".
In that sense, an Angolan delegation "has been in contact with the leadership of the M23 since the 28th of February", continues the note, which refers that the President, João Lourenço, sent a delegation to Kinshasa on Friday headed by the Minister of State and head of the Military House of the Presidency, Francisco Furtado.
The Angolan delegation informed the President of the RDCongo, Félix Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, "of the results of the contacts maintained with the leadership of the M23".
The M23 was created in 2012, when DRC soldiers revolted over the loss of power of their leader, Bosco Ntaganda, prosecuted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for war crimes and for alleged breaches of the peace agreement of March 23, 2009, which gives the movement its name.
East DR Congo has been plunged into a conflict fueled by rebel militias and the army for over two decades, despite the presence of the UN peacekeeping mission (Monusco).
Kinshasa accuses Kigali of collaborating with M23, with Rwanda repeatedly denying the accusation, despite at least two UN reports confirming such cooperation.
Rwanda and the M23 accuse the DR Congo army of allying with the rebel Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR), founded in 2000 by 1994 genocide leaders and other Rwandan exiles in DR Congo to regain political power in their home country.
The UN also confirmed this collaboration.
