The East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) have directed the merger of the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes to enhance diplomatic engagement in resolving the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) conflict. This decision was made during the EAC-SADC Summit held over the weekend, where regional leaders underscored the need for a unified approach to peace negotiations.
President William Ruto, who chairs the EAC, emphasized that a military solution would not resolve the DRC crisis. “We must resist the temptation to think we can somehow shoot and bombard our way into a solution to such a complex situation. Instead, we have to agree that only a comprehensive, diplomatic approach, one that addresses the root causes of the crisis, secures the historical integrity and territorial integrity of DRC, and affirms the sovereignty of its people and their aspirations for freedom, justice, and development,” Ruto said.
The summit resolved to reinforce both the Nairobi and Luanda processes individually to ensure they complement each other while working towards a seamless integration. It further mandated the resumption of direct negotiations and dialogue between the DRC government, the M23 rebel group, and other non-state actors under the merged framework.
Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, who has previously criticized the handling of the peace processes, expressed his concern that they had become platforms prioritizing facilitators over tangible results. “The Nairobi Process became an Uhuru Process, the Luanda Process is like you cannot say anything that will displease President Lourenço,” Kagame remarked. He had earlier walked out of the Luanda process in protest.
In collaboration with the African Union, the summit tasked former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Angolan President João Lourenço, the respective facilitators of the Nairobi and Luanda processes, to appoint additional facilitators from other African regions. This move aims to bring in broader continental support and ensure impartiality in the negotiations.
In his report to the summit, Uhuru Kenyatta highlighted the need to revive the Nairobi process, which he noted had been sidelined. “The Nairobi Process, though temporarily sidelined, and the Luanda process are still critical frameworks for dialogue and conflict resolution in eastern DRC,” Kenyatta said. He reaffirmed his commitment to working with the DRC government, regional partners, and international stakeholders to achieve lasting peace.
With this renewed approach, the EAC and SADC hope to consolidate efforts and avoid duplication, ensuring a streamlined and effective path toward resolving the long-standing conflict in eastern DRC.
