Obasanjo
Eastern, Southern African Blocs Appoint Obasanjo, Others to Lead DRC Peace Process Talks
In a joint effort to address the intensifying violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have appointed former leaders from Ethiopia, Kenya, and Nigeria to oversee a unified peace process.
The move comes as fighting escalates in eastern DRC, where the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group has seized significant territory, exacerbating a humanitarian crisis.
The regional blocs agreed during a summit on February 8 to merge two separate peace initiatives—previously based in Luanda and Nairobi—into a single framework. In a statement issued late Monday, they announced the appointment of former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo as facilitators of the new peace process.
Key objectives of the initiative include securing an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire,” ensuring humanitarian aid reaches affected populations, and safeguarding the airport in Goma, a strategic city currently under M23 control.
The EAC and SADC plan to hold a ministerial meeting on Friday to finalize the details of the proposed ceasefire.
Despite earlier calls for a ceasefire during the February 8 summit, the violence has persisted, underscoring the urgency of the new mediation efforts.
The appointment of the high-profile facilitators reflects the regional blocs’ commitment to stabilizing the conflict-ridden eastern DRC.
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