Angola has acted as a mediator in the conflict in eastern Congo, which escalated in late January when the Rwanda-backed rebels advanced and took control of the strategic eastern Congo city of Goma. In February, M23 seized Bukavu, eastern Congo’s second biggest city.

A revised Budget 2025 presented on Wednesday by South Africa’s finance minister was immediately rejected by major political parties, even though a proposed increase in value-added tax was sharply reduced.

Direct peace talks” between M23 rebels and Democratic Republic of Congo are set to start in Luanda on March 18, Angola’s presidency announced in a statement Wednesday. In January, the Rwanda-backed rebels launched a lightning advance in eastern DRC,