In a landmark move on Friday, African leaders agreed to consolidate all regional peace efforts into one unified initiative to address the long standing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
At the Joint EAC-SADC Summit, co-chaired by Kenya’s President William Ruto and Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the decision was made to merge mediation efforts led by the East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the African Union (AU). The unified process will now be coordinated by the AU, headquartered in Addis Ababa.
Calling it a “turning point,” President Ruto emphasized that this consolidated approach brings together previous efforts including those based in Nairobi and Luanda into a single, coherent peace strategy. He described the situation as “dire,” pointing to the severe humanitarian and security crises in eastern Congo that have ripple effects across the region, including Rwanda.
In recent months, there have been signs of progress. In July, the M23 rebel group backed by Rwanda and Congo signed a declaration of principles aimed at establishing a permanent ceasefire. The agreement, brokered by Qatar, was hailed by the AU as a “major milestone.”
Additionally, the United States facilitated another peace accord, signed at the State Department with Secretary of State Marco Rubio present alongside the foreign ministers of Congo and Rwanda. Rubio called the moment “significant” after decades of war.
The M23 remains one of the most active militant groups in the region. Their recent surge led to thousands of casualties and displaced over seven million people, underscoring the urgent need for a coordinated resolution.
