Amidst a deepening humanitarian and security crisis, Angolan President João Lourenço and several African Union (AU) representatives issued an urgent call for an immediate ceasefire in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The appeal followed a critical diplomatic summit in Luanda on Monday, February 9, 2026. During this meeting, leaders met with DRC President Félix Tshisekedi to salvage a deteriorating peace process. The eastern borderlands, rich in resources and adjacent to Rwanda and Burundi, have endured decades of relentless instability.
This latest wave of violence is primarily driven by the M23 armed group. Both international observers and the Congolese government assert that this insurgent force receives backing from Rwanda.
A Conflict Reaching a Breaking Point
The conflict saw a significant escalation throughout 2025. Despite numerous international interventions, the M23 successfully seized several strategic cities. This advancement displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.
Furthermore, the violence has persisted despite a high-profile, US-brokered peace deal signed in December and a parallel mediation track facilitated by Qatar.
Last week, the situation reached a new low. A drone attack, attributed to the M23, targeted an airport in Kisangani. This strike marked a dangerous expansion of the conflict’s geographic scope. It moved beyond the immediate border regions and struck deeper into Congolese territory.
The Luanda Declaration: A New Push for Peace
In a formal statement released Monday evening, President Lourenço acted in his capacity as the AU chairperson. He urged all combatants to lay down their arms immediately.
The “Luanda Declaration” calls on the warring parties to agree upon a specific date and time for a formal cessation of hostilities.
“We call on the parties to the conflict in the DRC to declare a ceasefire to take effect on a date and time to be agreed,” Lourenço stated. “We must accelerate the implementation of the Ceasefire Verification Mechanisms agreed in Doha on 14 October 2025.”
The statement carried significant weight, bearing the signatures of:
- Félix Tshisekedi: President of the DRC.
- Fauré Gnassingbé: President of Togo and official AU mediator.
- Olusegun Obasanjo: Former Nigerian President and designated facilitator of the DRC peace process.
The Diplomatic Maze: US, Qatar, and AU Efforts
The peace process in the DRC is currently a complex web of overlapping diplomatic initiatives. While the multiplicity of efforts shows global concern, it has also created challenges. Coordinating a unified response on the ground remains difficult.
The Washington and Doha Tracks
In December 2025, the DRC and Rwanda formalized a peace agreement in Washington, D.C. This deal, guided by the United States, aimed to establish a “permanent” ceasefire. Simultaneously, Qatar has spent months mediating directly between the Congolese government and M23 leadership. These efforts culminated in a commitment toward a ceasefire signed in Doha last July.
Angola’s Expanded Mandate
The AU leaders in Luanda have now mandated Angola to initiate direct consultations with all “interested Congolese parties.” This move attempts to bring the various peace tracks—AU, US, and Qatari—under a more cohesive regional framework.
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Verification and Enforcement: The Role of MONUSCO
A recurring failure in previous ceasefire agreements has been the lack of effective monitoring. To address this, current agreements provide for a monitoring mechanism supported by the United Nations mission in the DRC, known as MONUSCO.
The United Nations recently announced the upcoming deployment of a specialized mission to the volatile eastern region. The primary objective is to verify compliance and report violations in real-time. However, the mission faces an uphill battle. The eastern DRC consists of dense, mountainous terrain where various splinter groups operate, making total oversight nearly impossible.
The Humanitarian Imperative
Beyond the military and political maneuvering, the human cost remains staggering. The eastern DRC holds some of the world’s largest deposits of cobalt and coltan. While these minerals are essential for global technology, the local population remains among the most impoverished and traumatized on earth.
The constant displacement of communities has led to:
- Severe Food Insecurity: Farmers cannot tend to their crops due to the presence of armed groups.
- Breakdown of Healthcare: Clinics and hospitals have been looted or abandoned in seized cities.
- Human Rights Violations: Reports of widespread abuse against civilians continue to emerge from M23-controlled areas.
Conclusion: A Fragile Hope for 2026
The Luanda meeting represents a renewed sense of urgency among African heads of state. By involving veteran diplomats like Obasanjo and mediators like Gnassingbé, the AU is signaling a change in perspective. They no longer view the DRC conflict as a localized issue but as a threat to continental stability.
For a ceasefire to hold, the underlying tensions between Kinshasa and Kigali must be addressed. Until cross-border support for insurgent groups ends, the “crash of pins” in the halls of diplomacy may continue to be drowned out by gunfire in the hills of Kivu.
