The failures of João Lourenço, President of Angola and the African Union (AU), led to his own decision on Monday to abandon mediation of the armed conflict in eastern Congo between the M23 group and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Angolan presidency said in a statement that Angola has worked "with all seriousness, energy and resources" since the African Union entrusted the Angolan head of state with the responsibility of mediating the conflict, pointing to the progress made after successive rounds of talks.

However, for the AU president, external factors have compromised the process and reinforced the need for African solutions to the continent's problems.

Angola was uncomfortable with the recent meeting between the Presidents of the DRC and Rwanda, held on Tuesday in Qatar. João Lourenço, the mediator, had not consented.

Luanda also regrets the fact that Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagamé negotiated peace outside the agenda of the African Union, and on the same day that a meeting was scheduled to take place in the Angolan capital.