On the 15th, the Angolan Presidential Office released a statement on social media, stating that the rotating chairman of the African Union and the President of Angola, Lorenzo, called on all parties involved in the armed conflict in eastern Congo (Kinshasa) to cease hostilities from midnight on the 16th, in order to create favorable conditions for peace negotiations between the Congolese government and the anti-government armed group "M23 Movement". The ceasefire proposed in the announcement includes the cessation of all hostile actions that may ultimately affect civilians, as well as military actions to compete for new strongholds in conflict areas. The Presidential Palace of Angola announced on the 12th that the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the "M23 Movement" will start direct peace talks in Luanda, the capital of Angola, on the 18th. The "M23 Movement" welcomes the peace talks proposed by the Afghan side, but calls on Congolese President Tshisekedi to publicly commit to direct negotiations with them. As of now, the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo has not made a formal response to the initiative for direct peace talks. Recently, tensions in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo have escalated sharply, with the "M23 Movement" launching continuous attacks in North and South Kivu provinces and other areas. The conflict has caused a large number of civilian casualties and displacement. (New Society)