Uhuru, Obasanjo to Lead DRC Mediation as Regional Leaders Push for Quick Resolution
The East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have appointed former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Nigeria’s ex-leader Olusegun Obasanjo to mediate in the escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
During a virtual summit on March 24, the two regional blocs mandated a high-level Panel of Facilitators, including Kenyatta, Obasanjo, and former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, to spearhead peace efforts. The panel also features ex-Central African Republic leader Catherine Samba-Panza and Ethiopia’s former president Sahle-Work Zewde, ensuring gender and regional representation.
Chaired by Kenyan President William Ruto (EAC) and Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa (SADC), the summit instructed the co-chairs to convene a crucial briefing within the next seven days. “The Joint Summit directed the Co-chairs to hold a briefing session with the Panel of Facilitators within the next seven days; this should be jointly coordinated by SADC, EAC, and the AU,” read part of the official communiqué.
The conflict in Eastern DRC, marked by violent clashes between armed groups, has resulted in severe humanitarian crises, with thousands displaced. The summit reviewed reports from defense and foreign affairs ministers, endorsing immediate and long-term strategies for stabilizing the volatile region.
This initiative aligns with prior resolutions by the African Union and the United Nations Security Council, which have urged coordinated efforts to address the deteriorating security situation. The EAC and SADC secretariats were tasked with formally notifying the appointed facilitators and updating the AU and UN on the summit’s resolutions. A follow-up briefing involving the EAC, SADC, and AU is scheduled for next week.
The virtual summit saw the participation of Presidents Félix Tshisekedi (DRC), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), and Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), highlighting broad regional consensus. The meeting followed the DRC’s growing inclination towards SADC-led peace efforts under the Luanda Process. It was the second joint EAC-SADC summit since February, when leaders met in Dar es Salaam to chart a roadmap for addressing the DRC crisis.
The conflict-ridden eastern DRC remains a battleground for local militias, foreign armed groups, and resource disputes, with the resurgence of the M23 rebels exacerbating tensions. The UN Security Council’s Resolution 2773, adopted in February, reinforced the call for an end to hostilities and foreign interference.
According to Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, over 7,000 people have been killed in the violence, including approximately 3,000 deaths in Goma, the capital of North Kivu. Of these, over 2,500 bodies were buried without identification, while another 1,500 remain in morgues. The conflict has also displaced more than 2.8 million people in North Kivu, with over 100,000 forced to flee their homes in Masisi territory since January due to clashes between the M23 rebel group and the Congolese army.
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Uhuru, Obasanjo to Lead DRC Mediation as Regional Leaders Push for Quick Resolution
