Democratic Republic of Congo and M23 rebels will engage in direct negotiations in the coming days to end the conflict in the country’s mineral-rich east, according to the presidency of Angola, which will mediate the talks.

The Rwanda-backed M23 armed group cautiously welcomed Thursday the prospect of direct negotiations with the Congolese government to end the conflict in the volatile eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Germany’s development ministry says it will suspend new financial commitments to Rwanda over that country's alleged support of the M23 rebels in neighboring eastern Congo.

Democratic Republic of Congo is considering sending representatives to peace talks that Angola plans to host next week which would mark its first direct negotiations with the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group,

M23 is one of about 100 armed groups that have been vying for a foothold in mineral-rich eastern Congo near the border with Rwanda, in a conflict that has created one of the world