African blocs expand DRC-M23 ceasefire mediators

The political blocs of Southern and Eastern Africa have expanded the mediation team for negotiating an end to the M23 rebel offensive in eastern Congo at a heads of state meeting that Rwanda described as fruitful.

Five former heads of state, including Nigeria's Olusegun Obasanjo, South Africa's Kgalema Motlanthe and Ethiopia's Sahle-Work Zewde, were appointed on Monday to "facilitate" the peace process, the blocs said in a statement early on Tuesday.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve eastern Congo's biggest conflict in decades appeared to have stalled last week when M23 failed to attend peace talks with the Congolese government in Angola and later captured the strategic town of Walikale.

Congo's presidency said on X the new panel would appoint a mediator to replace the president of Angola, who withdrew on Monday following years of faltering efforts to ease tensions between Rwanda and Congo.

Genocide legacy

The violence, rooted in the long fallout from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and competition for control of mineral riches, has led to rebel control of eastern Congo's two largest cities, thousands of deaths and fears of a wider regional war.

Rwanda's government, which is facing sanctions and had some aid suspended over allegations of backing M23, said on X the leaders attending Monday's summit "committed to a political solution that addresses the security concerns of all parties."

Congo accuses M23 of being a Rwandan proxy. Rwanda denies involvement but also says its forces are acting in self-defence against Congo's army and militias hostile to Kigali.