East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) leaders on Wednesday endorsed a unified African-led initiative to promote peace in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The announcement came after a virtual Joint Extraordinary Summit co-chaired by President William Ruto of Kenya and his Zimbabwean counterpart, Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The summit approved the appointment of former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi to the five-member Panel of Facilitators, tasked with steering inclusive dialogue in eastern DRC. The other panel members include former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic), and Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia).
Leaders also endorsed the merger of the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes into a single African-led mediation framework supported by the African Union. The move is intended to improve coordination, streamline efforts, and enhance the effectiveness of peace initiatives. Key operational documents and a resource mobilisation plan were adopted to sustain the initiative.
The summit welcomed progress from diplomatic engagements in Washington and Doha, commended Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Félix Tshisekedi of the DRC for embracing dialogue, and acknowledged the contributions of the United States and Qatar.
President Ruto reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to a unified African-led approach, describing it as “the surest path” to lasting peace and stability in eastern DRC. “We stand firm in our resolve to end the conflict, halt the tragic loss of lives, prevent further displacement of communities, and protect property and livelihoods from destruction,” Ruto said.
The summit signals strengthened continental cooperation and a consolidated strategy to address the ongoing humanitarian and security challenges in the mineral-rich eastern DRC.
Written By Rodney Mbua
