African mediation adopts new roadmap for eastern DRC peace process

Togo’s President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, designated by the African Union as mediator for the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region, chaired a meeting on Monday, June 8, 2026, in Lomé. The session focused on a semi-annual review of mediation activities amid a stalemate in diplomatic efforts and ongoing hostilities between government forces and the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebellion.

The gathering brought together members of the College of Facilitators appointed by the African Union, as well as 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 meeting on June 7 and 8, 2026, aimed to assess progress since the mediation architecture was established in Lomé on January 17, 2026, and to define priorities for the second half of the year, supporting the Washington and Doha processes led respectively by the United States and Qatar.

Strategic directions for the second half of 2026

According to the Togolese presidency’s summary, the review meeting adopted several guidelines, including strengthening internal coordination among the Mediator’s Office, the Panel of Facilitators, the African Union Commission, and the independent Joint Secretariat.

Stakeholders also highlighted the importance of structuring and making available an African contribution to the complementary Washington and Doha processes to enhance ownership, legitimacy, and facilitate implementation.

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

Immediate decisions

The meeting adopted several measures to enhance the mediation process’s effectiveness. 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 detailing the implementation modalities of the decisions taken.

“Driven by renewed collective will and a spirit of shared responsibility, participants committed to implementing the meeting’s decisions diligently and coherently, honoring commitments, and working together for lasting peace in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region,” the Togolese presidency stated.

This latest session follows the high-level meeting on coherence and consolidation of the peace process in the DRC, held January 16-17 in Lomé. Initiated by Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the AU’s lead mediator for eastern DRC, that meeting aimed to build trust, advance dialogue, and ensure compliance with commitments by all stakeholders.

The earlier initiative brought together a panel of facilitators comprising former heads of state, Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, representatives from the EAC and SADC, and several international partners, building on diplomatic efforts for stability in eastern DRC.

Following that session, the African Union unveiled its mediation architecture for the DRC peace process. According to a document outlining the framework, mediation is under the authority of President Faure Gnassingbé, supported by a Togolese mediation team including the foreign ministry and presidency.

The same document indicates five co-facilitators, all former African heads of state, handle specific themes: former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo oversees military and security matters; former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde handles humanitarian issues; former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta supervises dialogue with local armed groups; former Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi manages regional economic cooperation; and former Central African Republic transitional President Catherine Samba-Panza leads civil society, reconciliation, and gender portfolios.

The structure also includes an independent Joint Secretariat involving Togo, the AU, EAC, SADC, and ICGLR. The AU Commission coordinates with international partners, including the UN, Qatar, the European Union, and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, the document added.