EAC, SADC Ask Uhuru, Obasanjo To Lead DRC Peace Talks
The Joint Summit of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has appointed former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Nigeria’s ex-leader Olusegun Obasanjo to resolve the escalating crisis in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The summit, co-chaired by President William Ruto, head of the EAC, and Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, appointed a high-profile Panel of Facilitators, including Obasanjo, Kenyatta, and former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, to spearhead mediation efforts.
The panel also comprises former Central African Republic leader Catherine Samba-Panza and Ethiopia’s ex-president Sahle-Work Zewde, reflecting a commitment to gender and regional inclusivity.
The meeting also directed Ruto and Mnangagwa to convene a critical briefing in seven days with the facilitators. “The Joint Summit directed the Co-chairs to convene a briefing session with the Panel of Facilitators within the next seven days; the briefing should be done jointly by SADC, EAC, and the AU,” reads part of the communiqué issued after the meeting.
The directive came during a virtual summit on Monday, March 24, where regional leaders stressed the urgency of implementing a roadmap for sustainable peace in the conflict-ridden region.
The Eastern DRC has been plagued by decades of violence involving armed groups, with recent clashes exacerbating humanitarian crises and displacing thousands. The summit reviewed reports from joint ministry and defense meetings, endorsing immediate and long-term measures to stabilize the region.
