The Joint Summit of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) has appointed former President Uhuru Kenyatta and 4 other former African presidents to lead the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) peace talks.
The summit appointed a high-profile Panel of Facilitators, including Obasanjo, Kenyatta, and former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, to spearhead mediation efforts.
The panel moreover comprises former Central African Republic leader Catherine Samba-Panza and Ethiopia’s ex-president Sahle-Work Zewde, reflecting a commitment to gender and regional inclusivity.
Former president Uhuru among 5 ex-presidents appointed to lead DRC peace talks. Photo: Courtesy.
The summit directed the EAC and SADC secretariats to notify the facilitators of their appointment and convey the outcomes of the Joint Summit to the African Union (AU) and the UN Security Council.
The Summit also directed the co-chairs to hold an urgent meeting with the 5 facilitators within seven days.
“The Joint Summit directed the Co-chairs to convene a briefing session with the panel of Facilitators within the next seven days; the briefing should be done jointly by SADC, EAC, and the AU,” a communiqué from the summit read in part.
The directive came during a virtual summit on Monday, March 24, where regional leaders stressed the urgency of implementing a roadmap for sustainable peace in the conflict-ridden region.
The Eastern DRC has been plagued by decades of violence involving armed groups, with recent clashes exacerbating humanitarian crises and displacing thousands.
