# Angola has announced it would withdraw from its role as mediator in the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in order to focus on its presidency of the African Union. Angolan president Joao Lourenco was named mediator by the AU in 2022 in an attempt to pacify the protracted conflict involving the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group. Angola withdrew to comprehensively focus on the general priorities established by the AU. The southern African country took up the rotating presidency of the African Union two months ago.
Angola withdraws as DRC mediator to focus on AU presidency