EAC and SADC Leaders Appoint Five Facilitators to Accelerate Peace Process in Eastern DRC
The joint summit of the heads of state and government of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has decided to expedite the peace process in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by appointing an expanded group of five facilitators to address the ongoing crisis.
“The summit has decided to accelerate the peace process by appointing an expanded group of five facilitators. They are former presidents Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), Kgalema Motlanthe (South Africa), Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia), and Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic),” media reports cited a communiqué from the summit on Tuesday.
The meeting also “adopted a report from EAC-SADC ministers outlining the steps toward a ceasefire, cessation of hostilities, and the establishment of a secretariat to monitor implementation,” the communiqué stated.
Negotiations mediated by Angolan President João Lourenço between the DRC government and rebels from the March 23 Movement (M23) were scheduled for March 18 in Luanda, Angola’s capital. However, the talks were canceled.
Instead, an agreement for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in eastern DRC was reached on March 18 during negotiations in Doha between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. The talks were mediated by Qatar’s Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
On March 13, an extraordinary SADC summit focused on the security situation in the DRC decided to end its peacekeeping mission (SAMIDRC) in the country and gradually withdraw its forces.
Since the beginning of 2025, M23 rebels have resumed attacks in eastern DRC, seizing large parts of North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, including their capitals, Goma and Bukavu.
M23 was formed in 2012 by deserters from the Congolese army. The predominantly Tutsi rebel group launched hostilities in eastern DRC in January 2021 and has since taken control of over a hundred towns and villages, including key provincial capitals.
