Significant progress has been noted in structuring the African-led mediation for peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was a key outcome of the technical session of the semestral peace process evaluation meeting held June 7-8, 2026 in Lomé, convened by Togo’s Council President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the African Union mediator for the crisis in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.
Following the ministerial phase led by Minister of Cooperation and Togolese Abroad Yackoley Johnson, Council President Faure Gnassingbé chaired the evaluation meeting on Monday, June 8, focusing on semestral activities under the African mediation.
The diplomatic gathering brought together, around the Togolese mediation, 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 Essozimna Gnassingbé hailed the presence of facilitators, regional organizations, and international partners, noting that it reflects their steadfast commitment to peace, stability, and development in the Great Lakes region.
The AU mediator particularly welcomed the progress achieved since the Lomé meeting devoted to coherence and consolidation of various peace initiatives in the DRC and the Great Lakes region. In his view, these advances represent an important step toward better coordination of diplomatic and political efforts for a sustainable solution to the crisis affecting eastern DRC.
“We have reached a significant milestone since January by bringing greater order to the architecture of African mediation. I am convinced this meeting marks a major step forward in improving our collective action and in finding lasting solutions to this crisis,” said the African Union mediator.
Mr. Gnassingbé stressed the need to continue efforts to further strengthen coherence, complementarity, and coordination among the various mediation mechanisms engaged in the peace process in this part of the continent. He emphasized the importance of maintaining a sustained collective mobilization for stability, peace, and security in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
For him, only concerted action by regional, continental, and international actors will consolidate the gains achieved and foster lasting peace in the Great Lakes region.
“We will continue this mission with humility, determination, and perseverance. Despite challenges, we also see many goodwill actors ready to accompany us in this pursuit of peace,” he added.
This latest meeting follows the high-level gathering on coherence and consolidation of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, held January 16-17 in Lomé, Togo. Initiated by Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, Togo’s Council President and lead AU mediator for eastern DRC, that meeting aimed to build trust among parties, advance dialogue, and ensure compliance with commitments made by various stakeholders.
That initiative brought together a panel of facilitators including former heads of state, Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, representatives of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), as well as several international partners, and was part of ongoing diplomatic efforts for stability in eastern DRC.
Following those talks, the African Union unveiled the architecture of its mediation for the peace process in eastern DRC. According to that framework, the mediation is 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.
According to the same document, five co-facilitators, all former African heads of state, are responsible for specific themes. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo handles military and security matters. Former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde is in charge of humanitarian issues. 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 Transitional President Catherine Samba-Panza leads files related to civil society, reconciliation, and gender issues.
The mechanism also includes an independent joint secretariat bringing together Togo, the African Union, the East African Community, the Southern African Development Community, and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). The African Union Commission coordinates with international partners, including the United Nations, Qatar, the European Union, and the Group of Five Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, the document specified.
