Political leaders Ruto and Mnangagwa collaborate on reconciliation initiatives in the Democratic Republic of Congo, focusing on cities Nairobi and Luanda.

In a significant move towards peace and stability in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have merged their peace processes, integrating their mediation and secretariat structures with that of the African Union (AU) into a single, unified African-led initiative [1][2][3][4][5].

This merger combines the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes into one coordinated framework, led by the AU Commission based in Addis Ababa. A joint panel of facilitators representing both blocs and the AU has been established to oversee and report on the mediation efforts. The technical secretariats of the African Union, SADC, and EAC have also been merged into a joint secretariat to streamline coordination and operationalize the initiative effectively.

The main goal of this unified initiative is to enhance coordination, harmonization, and impact of peace efforts in eastern DRC, eliminating fragmentation and duplication. The overarching objective is to achieve lasting peace and stability in the eastern DRC and the broader Great Lakes region, thereby enabling development and reducing humanitarian crises caused by ongoing violence [1][2][3][4][5].

President William Ruto of Kenya, who co-chaired the virtual summit where the merger was announced, stated that the merged structures will form one unified African-led initiative to enhance coordination and harmonization of peace processes in eastern DRC [6][7].

The merged peace processes aim to address the root causes of the conflict in the eastern DRC, including mineral disputes, ethnic tensions, and governance gaps [8][9]. The Nairobi Process, launched in 2022 under the EAC, focused on talks with armed groups, while the Luanda Process, led by Angola, sought to ease tensions between DRC and Rwanda [10][11].

The panel's mandate includes meeting DRC political leaders, engaging with armed groups, and consulting local communities to craft a comprehensive settlement. Notably, the summit endorsed former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi to the five-member Panel of Facilitators, which also includes Olusegun Obasanjo, Uhuru Kenyatta, Catherine Samba-Panza, and Sahle-Work Zewde [12][13].

The new arrangement includes terms of reference for a joint panel, a mediation process design, plans for an independent secretariat, and a resource mobilisation strategy. Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe and the other co-chair of the summit, urged leaders to address the conflict's root causes, including mineral disputes, ethnic tensions, and governance gaps [14][15].

Decades of conflict in the eastern DRC have displaced millions and strained regional ties, despite years of peacekeeping and military interventions. The merger of the EAC-SADC peace processes and the unified African-led initiative offer a renewed hope for lasting peace and stability in the region.

References: [1] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-eastern-congo-2023-02-25/ [2] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/25/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-for-eastern-congo [3] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-64637863 [4] https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/east-africa/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-for-eastern-congo/ [5] https://www.reuters.com/business/africa/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-eastern-congo-2023-02-25/ [6] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-eastern-congo-2023-02-25/ [7] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/25/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-for-eastern-congo [8] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/25/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-for-eastern-congo [9] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-64637863 [10] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/25/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-for-eastern-congo [11] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-eastern-congo-2023-02-25/ [12] https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-eastern-congo-2023-02-25/ [13] https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/2/25/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-for-eastern-congo [14] https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-64637863 [15] https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/news/east-africa/african-leaders-merge-peace-processes-for-eastern-congo/