President William Ruto on Tuesday chaired the inaugural meeting of the facilitators for the Nairobi-Luanda peace process, aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The virtual session brought together four former heads of state from the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional blocs.
The appointed facilitators include Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia), and Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic). Their selection was formalized during a joint virtual summit held on March 24, 2025. President Ruto briefed them on their mandate and outlined expectations as they embark on the mission to advance the peace initiative.
The March 24 summit, co-chaired by President Ruto in his capacity as EAC Chairperson and Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa (SADC), followed a February 8, 2025, joint session in Dar es Salaam. The meeting adopted recommendations from the March 17, 2025, joint EAC-SADC ministerial summit in Harare, including reports from the Chiefs of Defence and a roadmap for sustainable peace in the eastern DRC.
Leaders at the summit emphasized the urgent need for implementing these recommendations, directing relevant parties to take swift action. The African Union, EAC, and SADC were jointly mandated to provide briefing sessions for the facilitators to ensure effective coordination.
President Ruto reiterated the commitment of regional leaders to address the escalating conflict, which has resulted in significant loss of life, mass displacement, and a deepening humanitarian crisis. He cautioned that the conflict threatens not only the DRC but also the stability of the wider EAC and SADC regions.
He commended Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Felix Tshisekedi of the DRC for their efforts toward reconciliation, highlighting a recent face-to-face meeting as a demonstration of their commitment to resolving the crisis.
The joint summit was attended by several Heads of State, including Presidents Lazarus Chakwera (Malawi), Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), Andry Rajoelina (Madagascar), Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia), Felix Tshisekedi (DRC), Paul Kagame (Rwanda), Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), and Yoweri Museveni (Uganda). Other high-ranking officials, such as Somalia’s Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre and Angola’s Minister of External Relations Téte António, were also present.
With the newly appointed facilitators now engaged, the Nairobi-Luanda peace process is expected to intensify efforts to achieve long-term stability in the region.
