Significant strides have been noted in the structuring of African mediation efforts aimed at restoring peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This emerged as a key outcome of the technical session of the semiannual peace process review meeting, held on June 7–8, 2026, in Lomé. The session was convened by Togo’s Council President, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, who serves as the African Union’s mediator for the crisis in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.
Following an earlier ministerial stage led by the minister responsible for Cooperation and Togolese Abroad, Yackoley Johnson, President Gnassingbé chaired the June 8 meeting in Lomé, dedicated to evaluating mediation activities conducted over the past six months.
The high-level diplomatic gathering brought together, alongside the Togolese mediation team, members of the College of Facilitators appointed by the African Union, as well as representatives from the United Nations, the East African Community, the Economic Community of Central African States, the Southern African Development Community, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
According to the Togolese presidency, Faure Gnassingbé welcomed the presence of facilitators, regional organizations, and international partners at this review session, interpreting their attendance as a testament to their unwavering commitment to peace, stability, and development in the Great Lakes region.
The AU mediator particularly commended the progress achieved since the Lomé meeting dedicated to coherence and consolidation of various peace initiatives in the DRC and the Great Lakes region. He stated that these advances mark an important milestone toward better coordination of diplomatic and political efforts aimed at a sustainable solution to the crisis affecting eastern DRC.
“We have reached a significant step since January by bringing more order into the architecture of African mediation. I am convinced that this gathering represents a meaningful leap forward in improving our collective action and in pursuing lasting solutions to this crisis,” the African Union mediator declared.
Gnassingbé stressed the necessity of continuing efforts to further enhance coherence, complementarity, and coordination among the various mediation mechanisms engaged in the peace process in this region of the continent. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a sustained and collective mobilization in favor of stability, peace, and security in eastern DRC.
In his view, only concerted action by regional, continental, and international actors will consolidate the gains achieved and foster the emergence of lasting peace in the Great Lakes region.
“We will continue this mission with humility, determination, and perseverance. Despite the difficulties, we also see many goodwill actors ready to accompany us in this search for peace,” he noted.
This latest meeting follows the high-level conference on coherence and consolidation of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, held on January 16–17 in Lomé, Togo. Initiated by Faure Gnassingbé, Togo’s Council President and the AU’s lead mediator for eastern DRC, that conference aimed to strengthen trust among parties, advance dialogue, and ensure compliance with commitments made by various stakeholders involved in the peace process.
That initiative brought together a panel of facilitators comprising former heads of state, Togolese Foreign Affairs Minister Robert Dussey, representatives from the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community, as well as several international partners. It built on diplomatic efforts undertaken in recent months to stabilize eastern DRC.
Following those deliberations, the African Union unveiled the architecture of its mediation for the peace process in eastern DRC. According to the framework, the mediation is placed under the authority of Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, designated AU mediator. He is supported by a Togolese mediation support team comprising the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the presidency.
Under the same plan, five co-facilitators, all former African heads of state, are assigned specific thematic responsibilities. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo handles military and security issues. Former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde is in charge of humanitarian affairs. Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta oversees dialogue with local armed groups. Former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi is responsible for regional economic cooperation, while former Central African Republic Transition President Catherine Samba-Panza leads civil society, reconciliation, and gender-related matters.
The mechanism also includes an independent Joint Secretariat involving Togo, the African Union, the East African Community, the Southern African Development Community, and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region. The African Union Commission ensures coordination with international partners, including the United Nations, Qatar, the European Union, and the Group of Five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
