The SADC and East African Community (EAC) joint process has appointed three eminent former African leaders to facilitate efforts to find lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where hostilities between Government forces and rebels have resulted in the death of thousands of people and left millions homeless.
Diplomatic engagements and consultations between the two blocs have seen the appointment of former Kenyan leader Uhuru Kenyatta, former leader of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo and former Prime Minister of Ethiopia Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe as mediators in the conflict that was threatening to suck in the whole Great Lakes region until the intervention of SADC Chairman President Mnangagwa and other African leaders.
The appointment of the three leaders is a culmination of a joint EAC-Sadc summit, co-chaired by President Mnangagwa and his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto, in Tanzania which deliberated on the conflict in Eastern DRC pitting armed M23 rebel groups against Government forces backed by some Southern African countries under the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC).
In a statement, the Joint EAC/Sadc said President Mnangagwa and President Ruto continued engagement efforts following the summit held in Tanzania early this month which saw the appointment of the three leaders as facilitators.
"His Excellency Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of SADC and His Excellency, Dr William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Chairperson of the EAC have continued engaging on the progress in restoration of peace and security and in consultation with SADC and EAC Heads of State and Government have agreed on the appointment of HE Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta former President of the Republic of Kenya; H.E Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria; and HE Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, the former Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia as Facilitators of the EAC-SADC peace process (the merged Luanda and Nairobi processes) in Eastern DRC," reads the statement.
"Preparatory Meetings of the EAC Chiefs of Defence Forces (CDFs) from EAC Partner States were held in Nairobi on 21st February 2025 to discuss the ongoing security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The Meeting of the SADC Chief of Defence Forces on the same subject also convened in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The meetings followed a directive from the joint EAC-SADC Heads of State Summit on 8th February 2025 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania. Prior to the meeting the EAC, Defense Experts Working Group held two days of discussions on the situation in Eastern DRC. The meeting was guided by six key directives: Immediate and unconditional ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, provision of humanitarian assistance, opening of main supply routes, development of a securitisation plan for Goma and surrounding areas; and immediate reopening of Goma Airport and advice on other facilitative interventions."
The DRC map. --Source: Wires
Yesterday, a joint EAC-SADC Chiefs of Defence Forces Meeting was held in Dar es Salam, Tanzania, preceding the Joint Ministerial Meeting scheduled for February 28.
"The meeting is expected to work on the details of the ceasefire. Considering the above developments, all actors are urged to observe the ceasefire announced by the EAC-SADC Summit, and the M23 and all other actors are called upon to cease any further advancements in Eastern DRC and to observe and abide by an immediate ceasefire. The Joint EAC-SADC process is actively seized of the peace process in the Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo," reads the statement.
Conflict between Government forces and M23 armed rebels have escalated over the past months with the armed groups taking control of large swathes of the resource-rich Eastern DRC including the provincial capital Goma.
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Last Friday, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution that strongly condemned the ongoing offensive by M23 rebels in the eastern DRC.
The Security Council demanded that the M23 immediately cease hostilities, withdraw from all areas that it controls, "and fully reverse the establishment of illegitimate parallel administrations in the DRC territory."
The UN body called on the Rwanda Defence Forces to stop supporting the armed group and immediately withdraw from Congolese territory "without preconditions."
It reiterated the urgent appeal for all parties to conclude an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as called for by leaders from EAC and SADC.
