Yesterday’s summit also followed a meeting co-chaired by President Mnangagwa and President Ruto in Nairobi, Kenya, last week to formally appoint five facilitators to the DRC conflict.
The two regional blocs endorsed the appointment of the facilitators after they were fully briefed by the two leaders.
The five facilitators are former Nigeria President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza, former Ethiopia President Sahle-Work Zewde and former Botswana President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi.
In his opening address, President Mnangagwa said there was a need for coordinated efforts to find lasting peace in the Great Lakes region. “We convene, recognising the importance of briefing you, Your Excellencies, on the status of implementation of the mandate that we, as the two co-chairs, were given by SADC and EAC joint summits,” said President Mnangagwa. “Your Excellencies, 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 Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, with the support of the Secretariat and the auspices of the AU Commission, should work in unison with all parties towards addressing the root causes of the conflict, as well as in support of humanitarian efforts. ”President Ruto commended DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame for embracing dialogue and diplomacy in the search for lasting peace in the region.
President Mnangagwa commended leaders of the two regional blocs for convening the summit aimed at ensuring peace in DRC.
SADC Chairperson, President Mnangagwa, co-chairs a virtual joint SADC/EAC Extraordinary Summit on the DRC process at State House in Harare yesterday. – Picture: Believe Nyakudjara“I commend you, Your Excellencies, 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.
President Mnangagwa said following previous resolutions by the two regional blocs in February and March, he held successful meetings with his counterpart, President Ruto, on August 1 in Nairobi.
It is that meeting which 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 1261 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 positive actions of leaders must ultimately impact the lives and livelihoods of the people of the region. “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 said several achievements had been registered towards restoring peace in the DRC.
He described the meeting he held with President Mnangagwa and the facilitators in Nairobi as fruitful. “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. “And 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 added that together with President Mnangagwa, they have agreed to merge the EAC-SADC and AU structures into one unified African-led initiative in order to enhance the co-ordination and harmonisation of the peace processes in the eastern DRC. ”President Ruto commended DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame for embracing dialogue and diplomacy in the search for lasting peace in the region. “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 commended regional leaders for attending the summit, saying it showed how committed they were to lasting peace in the DRC. “The time has come, Your Excellencies, for us to unite in purpose and action, give our best love to our country’s sons and daughters in the Eastern DRC. “The true silence of the guns in the Eastern DRC demands unwavering support for the African land 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 work, the facilitators are expected to meet the DRC political leadership and all non-State actors to attain comprehensive peace in Eastern DRC.
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Stay informed and connected — reach us at admin@allzimnews. com.
