Yesterday’s virtual meeting followed a prior engagement between President Mnangagwa and President Ruto in Nairobi, Kenya, last week, where they formally appointed five facilitators to help mediate the DRC conflict.
The two regional blocs officially endorsed the appointment of the facilitators after receiving a comprehensive briefing from the two leaders.
SADCA group of distinguished African leaders has been appointed as facilitators to oversee the ongoing talks.
The esteemed panel includes former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza, former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, and former Botswana President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.
In his opening remarks, President Mnangagwa highlighted the importance of co-ordinated efforts to achieve lasting peace in the Great Lakes region. “We convene, recognising the importance of briefing you, Your Excellences, on the status of implementation of the mandate that we, as the two co-chairs, were given by SADC and EAC joint summits. “In implementing our mandate, we underscored the urgent need for co-ordinated efforts between the AU mediator and the panel of facilitators, guided by the need to reaffirm the joint commitment of our two regions to building trust among all stakeholders. “We also emphasised that the facilitators, along with the AU mediator, His Excellency President of Togo, with the support of the Secretariat and under the auspices of the AU Commission, should work in unison with all parties towards addressing the root causes of the conflict, as well as supporting humanitarian efforts,” said President Mnangagwa.
President Mnangagwa commended the leaders of both regional blocs for convening the summit in pursuit of peace in the DRC. “I commend you, Your Excellences, for affording the time for us to meet in pursuit of our collective determination to play our part towards addressing the challenges faced by our sister nation, the Democratic Republic of Congo,” he said.
He noted that, following resolutions made by the two blocs in February and March, he held successful talks with President Ruto on 1 August in Nairobi.
That meeting formalised the appointment of facilitators and adopted their terms of reference. “Consequently, therefore, we can be proud as SADC and EAC that the Luanda and Nairobi processes have been successfully merged, as per the desire and resolution of our Joint Summits.
This was further echoed by the spirit in the decision of the 1261st Summit-Level Meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union held in February 2025 and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2773 (2025). “As we enter a new phase of this process, let us continue working together in both our regions, guided by the mantra, ‘African solutions to African problems’,” he said.
President Mnangagwa added that the actions of regional leaders must ultimately improve the lives and livelihoods of the people. “I urge us, therefore, to remain united, speak with one voice, and act with boldness to ensure that peace prevails and development is realised in Eastern DRC,” he said.
In his address, President Ruto noted that several milestones had been achieved in the quest for peace in the DRC.
He described his meeting with President Mnangagwa and the facilitators in Nairobi as productive. “During that meeting, the joint EAC-SADC Secretariat presented a set of enabling documents developed in consultation with the African Union Commission to guide the operation of the merged East African-led Nairobi and Luanda peace process. “These documents included the framework for the merger of the Nairobi-Luanda peace processes, terms of reference for the five-member panel of facilitators appointed by the joint EAC-SADC summit, process design for an inclusive mediation process in eastern DRC, the proposed structure of the independent Secretariat to support the facilitation process, and the resource mobilisation framework for supporting the joint initiative,” said President Ruto.
He said that he and President Mnangagwa had agreed to merge the EAC-SADC and AU structures into a unified African-led initiative to enhance co-ordination and harmonisation of peace efforts in eastern DRC.
President Ruto also commended DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame for embracing dialogue and diplomacy in the pursuit of lasting peace. “President Mnangagwa and I strongly believe that a sustained, co-ordinated, African-led peace process remains the surest path to a stable and peaceful eastern DRC and the region,” said President Ruto.
SADC Executive Secretary Mr Elias Magosi praised regional leaders for attending the summit, saying it demonstrated their commitment to lasting peace in the DRC. “The time has come, Your Excellences, for us to unite in purpose and action, give our best love to our countries’ sons and daughters in the Eastern DRC.
The true silence of the guns in the Eastern DRC demands unwavering support for the African-led framework.
Let us seize this moment with resolve, solidarity, and a shared vision for lasting peace in our two nations,” he said.
As part of their mandate, the facilitators are expected to engage with the DRC’s political leadership and all non-state actors to achieve comprehensive peace in the region.
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Stay informed and connected — reach us at admin@allzimnews. com.
