The Angolan Parliament is due to consider this Friday the request for the deployment of a military contingent in eastern DRC. This deployment was announced a few days ago by the Angolan President, João Lourenço, who is also the current president of the international conference on the Great Lakes region and mediator in the crisis in the DRC.
The validation of Angolan deputies is deemed obligatory, yet it is expected to be a smooth process. As for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), how does its government perceive the role and authority of the Angolan contingent?
According to the Congolese authorities, the Angolan contingent’s purpose is not to engage in combat against the M23 or any other militant factions in eastern DRC. Instead, it is responsible for implementing the validation mechanism outlined in the Luanda process.
The Congolese Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasizes the technical nature of this undertaking. Specifically, the mission entails deploying personnel to facilitate the establishment of a cantonment for the M23 post-ceasefire and the potential withdrawal of the aforementioned group from areas they recently captured.
The other dimension of the mission involves investigating accusations of hostility that have strained diplomatic relations between Kinshasa and Kigali.