East and Southern African Leaders Unite in Nairobi to Advance Peace in Jap DRC

In a significant step toward restoring peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Co-Chairs of the Joint East African Community (EAC)–Southern African Development Community (SADC) Summit met with the Panel of Facilitators in Nairobi on August 1, 2025. The high-level meeting was convened to advance efforts toward a unified African-led peace process.

The meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and EAC Chairperson, and H.E. Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and SADC Chairperson.

They were joined by an esteemed Panel of Facilitators comprising:

• H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, Former President of Nigeria
• H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, Former President of Kenya
• H.E. Catherine Samba-Panza, Former Interim President of the Central African Republic
• H.E. Sahle-Work Zewde, Former President of Ethiopia
• H.E. Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi, Former President of Botswana

Also in attendance were senior officials from the African Union Commission (AUC), EAC, and SADC, as well as ministers from Kenya and Zimbabwe.

A Unified Mandate for Peace

The meeting recalled past resolutions — including those from the February and March 2025 Joint Summits, the AU Peace and Security Council, and the UN Security Council — all urging coordinated regional action in response to the worsening situation in eastern DRC.

The Co-Chairs congratulated the newly appointed Panel of Facilitators and endorsed several key documents to formalize their mandate:

• A Framework for merging the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes
• Terms of Reference for the Panel of Facilitators
• A Process Design for Inclusive Mediation
• A proposed structure for an Independent Secretariat
• A Resource Mobilization Framework

Bold Resolutions Adopted

The leaders adopted critical resolutions to streamline peace efforts:

1. Immediate merger of EAC-SADC and AU mediation structures, reporting to both the AU and the Joint Summit.
2. Unification of technical secretariats of the AU, EAC, and SADC into a Joint Secretariat based at the AUC in Addis Ababa.
3. Consolidation of terms and frameworks for all mediation teams to be formally approved by the Summit.
4. Urgent resource mobilization coordinated by the AUC, including humanitarian aid.
5. A call for alignment of all stakeholders to the African-led peace initiative.
6. A virtual Extra-Ordinary Summit to be convened within 7 days to finalize decisions.
7. Communication of outcomes to all AU Member States.

The meeting closed with expressions of appreciation to President Ruto for hosting the event in Nairobi and to the EAC, SADC, and AUC Secretariats for their coordination efforts.

This united front marks a pivotal moment in the search for peace in the DRC, reinforcing Africa’s commitment to homegrown, collaborative solutions to its most pressing security challenges.