In a move aimed at ending the escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) have appointed former leaders from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nigeria to lead peace negotiations.
Chaired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe (SADC Chairperson) and President William Ruto of Kenya (EAC Chairperson), the summit led to the appointment of high-profile facilitators for the peace process. These include: Kenya’s former President Uhuru Kenyatta , Olusegun Obasanjo former President of Nigeria, and Hailemariam Desalegn former Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
As fighting intensifies in the region, particularly in the eastern DRC where the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has seized large territories, former leaders Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia, and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria have been tasked with overseeing the peace process. The appointment comes after the two regional blocs EAC and SADC joined forces to address the mounting humanitarian crisis.
The regional bodies had previously operated separate peace processes based in Luanda and Nairobi, but they agreed in a summit on February 8 to merge these efforts in response to the latest surge in violence. In a statement released late Monday, the groups announced the three former leaders as the new “facilitators” of this united peace process.
The goals of the initiative include an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, the provision of humanitarian aid, and securing critical infrastructure, such as the airport in Goma, which has been seized by the M23 fighters.
Despite earlier calls for a ceasefire, the violence has continued, and a follow-up ministerial meeting is scheduled for Friday to discuss further steps toward securing peace. The international community is closely watching the situation as the peace process unfolds in hopes of curbing the conflict that has claimed thousands of lives.
