African Leaders Designate Five Peace Facilitators for DRC Peace Initiative
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Synopsis
At a virtual summit, leaders from eastern and southern Africa appointed five former presidents as peace facilitators to enhance the peace process in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The initiative aims to address the ongoing conflict and its humanitarian crisis.
Key Takeaways
- Five former presidents appointed as peace facilitators.
- Summit co-chaired by William Ruto and Emmerson Mnangagwa.
- Commitment to resolving conflict in the DRC.
- Recent face-to-face meeting between Kagame and Tshisekedi.
- Roadmap for long-term peace and security established.
Nairobi, March 25 (NationPress) African leaders from eastern and southern Africa have designated five former presidents to an expanded panel of facilitators aimed at promoting the peace process in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) during a virtual summit.
The newly appointed peace facilitators comprise former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, former President of the Central African Republic Catherine Samba Panza, and former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde.
The summit, co-chaired by Kenyan President William Ruto and his Zimbabwean counterpart Emmerson Mnangagwa, convened leaders from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).
In his address, Ruto expressed the commitment of leaders from both regional blocs to tackle the escalating conflict that has resulted in loss of lives, the displacement of thousands, and a severe humanitarian crisis.
Ruto, who also serves as the chairman of the EAC, remarked that the situation presents a significant threat not only to the DRC but also to the stability of the EAC and SADC regions.
He praised Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi for their dedication to ending the conflict, referencing a recent face-to-face meeting last week in Doha, Qatar, as reported by the Xinhua news agency. "This is a clear demonstration of their commitment to resolving the conflict in eastern DRC," he stated.
The summit also endorsed the findings of the joint EAC-SADC ministerial meeting that took place on March 17 in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, alongside the report from the joint meeting of chiefs of defense, and the roadmap detailing the implementation strategies for achieving long-term peace and security in the eastern DRC.
