Nigeria, July 7 -- Recent efforts to resolve the M23 crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have taken a new turn. After the breakdown of the Angola-led Luanda talks in mid-December 2024, a joint East African Community-Southern African Development Community attempt to merge the Luanda and Nairobi processes started in early 2025.

However, Qatar ultimately facilitated the April Doha dialogue between Kinshasa and the M23 rebel group with its political affiliate Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC). Then, on 27 June, regional talks spearheaded by the United States (US) led to a peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda.

The US-brokered negotiations aim to secure the Rwandan forces' withdrawal from eastern DRC and end Rwanda's supp...