To address the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, African leaders have resolved to launch a single, Africa-led peace initiative.
During a meeting with representatives from the African Union (AU) and member states to discuss the security crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenyan President William Ruto and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa led resolutions to merge the mediation and secretariat structures of the East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the AU into a unified effort headquartered in Addis Ababa and coordinated by the African Union.
President Ruto described the move as a “turning point.”
“There is now one African-led process that brings on board all the other initiatives Nairobi, Luanda, and any other efforts into one coherent process addressing the situation in eastern DRC,” he said.
“There is a humanitarian crisis, a serious security situation, and widespread instability that affects not just eastern DRC, but also Rwanda and the broader region.”
In July, Congo and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels signed a declaration of principles for a permanent ceasefire in eastern Congo, where longstanding ethnic tensions and competition over mineral resources have fueled one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts. Thousands have been killed this year alone.
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The African Union hailed the Qatar-facilitated signing as a “major milestone” in regional peace efforts.
Separately, another peace deal, brokered by the United States, was signed at the U.S. State Department, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio standing between the foreign ministers of Rwanda and Congo. Rubio called it “an important moment after 30 years of war.”
M23 remains the most prominent armed group involved in the conflict. Its major offensive earlier this year led to thousands of deaths and displaced more than 7 million people, exacerbating one of the world’s most dire humanitarian crises.
