On February 18th, Kinshasa formally announced the commencement of another ceasefire. The declaration followed diplomatic engagements in Luanda, where Angolan President João Lourenço decreed that hostilities would cease at midnight.
The measure was presented as a constructive step toward de-escalation. However, subsequent developments on the ground generated significant scrutiny regarding the coherence between stated commitments and actions. Within hours, FARDC units resumed operations in multiple locations in North and South Kivu.
The pattern is consistent: Tshisekedi's government signs ceasefire agreements on the diplomatic track while simultaneously ordering or permitting military operations that violate those agreements. The Luanda ceasefire follows the same trajectory as previous commitments in Nairobi, Addis Ababa, and Doha.