Eastern and southern African regional blocs have appointed former leaders from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nigeria to oversee the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where intensified fighting has worsened the humanitarian crisis in the east of the country.
The East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have joined forces in recent weeks to address the escalating conflict in eastern DRC, where the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has taken control of large areas. This has led to mass displacement and an urgent need for humanitarian assistance.
In a summit held on February 8, both blocs agreed to merge two separate peace efforts—one based in Luanda, Angola, and the other in Nairobi, Kenya—that had been operating independently before the recent surge in violence.
Late Monday, the EAC and SADC issued a statement announcing the appointment of three former leaders as facilitators of the new peace initiative: former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The statement outlined the primary objectives of the peace process, including an *“immediate and unconditional ceasefire”*, ensuring humanitarian access, and securing Goma’s airport, a strategic city captured by M23 fighters.
Additionally, the EAC and SADC confirmed that a ministerial meeting is scheduled for Friday to finalize the details of the ceasefire.
Despite their February 8 summit calling for an end to hostilities, the ceasefire has not been enforced, underscoring the urgency of renewed diplomatic efforts to restore stability in the region.
