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Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and fellow co-facilitators of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peace process convened in Lomé, Togo, for a meeting with African Union (AU) Mediator President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé.
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Uhuru stated that the meeting focused on reinforcing the need for continued dialogue and collaboration between the DRC government and the M23 rebel faction. The leaders also praised the recent breakthrough in talks between DRC and Rwanda, which resulted in a rebel ceasefire.
“The Mediator and the Panel reiterated the need for inclusive dialogue and welcomed the latest steps toward a peaceful resolution,” a statement from Uhuru’s office read.
They reaffirmed their united commitment to bringing lasting peace and stability to the DRC and the wider Great Lakes region.
The co-facilitators present included former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana, Catherine Samba-Panza of the Central African Republic, and Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia. The meeting was held on May 17.
The peace panel acknowledged President Gnassingbé’s leadership and steadfast efforts to advance African peace initiatives.
Formed in February, the panel brought together the Luanda and Nairobi peace tracks, following a joint summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC), co-chaired by Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Kenya’s President William Ruto on February 8, 2025, in Dar es Salaam.
President Gnassingbé assumed the AU Mediator role in April, succeeding Angola’s President João Lourenço, who stepped down due to increased obligations as AU Chairperson. Lourenço had nominated Gnassingbé as his successor in March.
