African mediation adopts new roadmap for peace in eastern DRC

Togolese Council President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the African Union mediator for the crisis in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region, chaired a meeting on Monday 8 June 2026 in Lomé. The session focused on a half-year review of mediation activities amid a diplomatic stalemate and continued fighting between government forces and the AFC/M23 rebellion, which is backed by Rwanda.

The gathering brought together members of the College of Facilitators appointed by the African Union, along with representatives from the United Nations, the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The two-day talks on 7 and 8 June 2026 aimed to assess progress since the mediation framework was launched in Lomé on 17 January 2026, and to set priorities for the second half of the year in support of the Washington and Doha processes led by the United States and Qatar respectively.

Strategic directions for the second half of 2026

According to the Togolese Presidency’s report, the review meeting adopted several measures, including strengthening internal coordination between the Mediator’s Office, the Panel of Facilitators, the African Union Commission, and the independent Joint Secretariat.

Stakeholders also highlighted the need to structure and provide an African contribution to the complementary Washington and Doha processes to enhance ownership, legitimacy, and implementation.

Participants called on all states and organisations involved in mediation efforts to boost cooperation in a spirit of solidarity while respecting the responsibilities and mandates defined in the mediation framework adopted in Lomé on 17 January 2026.

Immediate decisions

The meeting adopted several measures to improve the effectiveness of the mediation process. These include adjusting the work plans of Panel of Facilitators members for the second half of 2026, and developing, within fifteen days, an operational action plan specifying how the decisions will be implemented.

“Driven by a renewed collective will and a spirit of shared responsibility, participants committed to implementing the decisions of this meeting diligently and consistently, honouring their commitments, and working together for lasting peace in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region,” the Togolese Presidency stated.

This meeting follows the high-level conference on coherence and consolidation of the peace process in the DRC, held on 16 and 17 January in Lomé, Togo. Initiated by Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the Togolese Council President and designated African Union mediator for eastern DRC, that conference aimed to build trust between parties, advance dialogue, and ensure compliance with commitments made by various actors in the peace process.

The initiative gathered around the same table a panel of facilitators comprising former heads of state, Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, representatives of the EAC and SADC, and several international partners. It was part of broader diplomatic efforts in recent months to bring stability to eastern DRC.

At the end of 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, the African Union mediator. He is supported by a Togolese mediation support team consisting of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidency.

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 deals with humanitarian matters. Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta oversees dialogue with local armed groups. Former Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi focuses on regional economic cooperation. Former Central African Republic transitional President Catherine Samba-Panza leads civil society, reconciliation, and gender issues.

The mechanism also includes an independent Joint Secretariat involving Togo, the African Union, the EAC, SADC, and the 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.