President Paul Kagame has reiterated that Rwanda's security concerns must also be addressed when dealing with the insecurity in DR Congo. He was speaking during the joint East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit held on Monday, March 24, to address the security situation in eastern DR Congo.
Communique of the 2nd Joint EAC- SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government pic.twitter.com/9uFB7Mh6Ac-- East African Community (@jumuiya) March 25, 2025
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The regional leaders' second joint session, which was virtual, was co-chaired by President William Ruto of Kenya, who is the Chairperson of the EAC, and the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who also doubles as the Chairperson of SADC. The joint Summit deliberated on a report presented during the joint EAC-SADC ministerial meeting held on March 17, in Harare, Zimbabwe.
According to the Presidency, the joint summit took place in a positive atmosphere where key issues were clarified and leaders committed to a political solution that addresses the security concerns of all parties.
In his intervention, Kagame emphasised that "Rwanda remains concerned about our security, and this must be addressed within the framework of dealing with problems of other countries" including DR Congo.
He said: "When we talk about sovereignty and territorial integrity, it should mean every country. Every country deserves respect of its territorial integrity or its sovereignty."
"If you want the war to end, you end the injustice, you end political problems for not only your people, but for others, including neighbors, that are affected. I think we are making progress. We are counting on everyone to help make positive contributions towards ending all of this."
This evening, President Kagame joined a virtual EAC-SADC summit on the situation in Eastern DRC co-chaired by EAC Chairperson President William Ruto of Kenya and SADC Chairperson President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe. The fruitful joint summit took place in a positive... pic.twitter.com/5GgFQMAYV8-- Presidency | Rwanda (@UrugwiroVillage) March 24, 2025
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When leaders from the two regional blocs first met, on February 8, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, peaceful resolution of the conflict in eastern DR Congo through the Africa-led Luanda and Nairobi peace processes was among the key resolutions of their meeting. The first joint EAC-SADC summit reaffirmed the critical role of the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes and directed that the two be merged.
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During the latest Summit, the heads of state named three more facilitators - all former heads of state from different African countries - who were tasked to fast-track the process to pacify DR Congo. The new facilitators are Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa, Catherine Samba Panza from the Central African Republic and Sahle-Work Zwelde the former President of Ethiopia.
They will work alongside Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya and Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria who had been previously named as facilitators.
The summit communique also indicated that the Heads of State adopted a roadmap developed last week by military chiefs from the two blocs which detailed immediate, medium-, and long-term measures to attain sustainable peace and security in DR Congo.
