The East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have appointed former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn as joint facilitators of the now merged Nairobi and Luanda peace processes in Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The decision was reached during the Joint Summit of Heads of State and Government, co-chaired by Zimbabwean President and SADC Chairperson Emmerson Mnangagwa and Kenyan President and EAC Chairperson William Ruto.
The summit, held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on February 8, 2025, aimed to address the ongoing security crisis in Eastern DRC and reinforce peace efforts.
As part of this initiative, the EAC Chiefs of Defense Forces (CDFs) convened a preparatory meeting in Nairobi on February 21, 2025, to assess the security situation and strategize on interventions.
Similarly, SADC Chiefs of Defense Forces held discussions in Dar es Salaam on the same subject. The meetings were in line with the directives issued by the Joint Summit to advance peace and security efforts in the region.
Key directives guiding the process include an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, provision of humanitarian assistance, reopening of main supply routes, development of a security plan for Goma and surrounding areas and the immediate reopening of Goma Airport.
Defence experts from EAC and SADC have been actively engaged in reviewing these directives to ensure effective implementation.
Further consultations are expected, with a joint EAC-SADC Chiefs of Defense Forces meeting scheduled for February 24, 2025, in Dar es Salaam.
This will precede a Joint Ministerial Meeting set for February 28, 2025, where additional details on the ceasefire implementation will be discussed.
The EAC-SADC leadership has urged all actors in the conflict, including the M23 and other armed groups to fully observe the ceasefire and halt any further hostilities in Eastern DRC.
The Joint Summit reaffirmed its commitment to fostering sustainable peace in the region and emphasized the importance of cooperation among regional stakeholders.
With the appointment of the three eminent African leaders as facilitators, the EAC-SADC peace process aims to provide a coordinated and effective approach to resolving the long-standing instability in Eastern DRC.
The regional bloc remains actively engaged in ensuring that peace and security are restored through diplomatic and military interventions.
