Following his two-day state visit to Kinshasa, the President of the Republic of Burundi and current Chairperson of the African Union, Évariste Ndayishimiye, reaffirmed his country’s commitment to restoring peace and stability in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where ongoing violence linked to local and foreign armed groups—including the M23 rebel alliance backed by Rwanda—continues to destabilize the region.

During a joint press conference with his Congolese counterpart on Tuesday, June 23, at the African Union City in Kinshasa, President Ndayishimiye highlighted the eastern DRC security situation as a key focus of their discussions.

« A critical issue in our talks was peace and security in eastern DRC. We conducted an in-depth assessment of the security situation in this part of the country and expressed full support for regional and international diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving lasting peace and stability in the Great Lakes region », Ndayishimiye stated.

The Burundian leader stressed the need for a comprehensive approach to address the persistent violence plaguing the region.

« Burundi firmly believes that a durable resolution to the crises affecting eastern DRC requires a holistic and integrated strategy to break recurring cycles of violence and promote socioeconomic development for affected populations », he continued.

Highlighting the cross-border threats posed by foreign terrorist groups and armed factions operating in eastern DRC, Ndayishimiye called for strengthened regional cooperation.

« In the face of threats posed by foreign terrorist groups and negative forces operating in eastern DRC, Burundi emphasizes the necessity of reinforcing collaborative efforts among Great Lakes countries », he asserted.

He also reiterated his country’s support for ongoing diplomatic initiatives aimed at resolving the DRC crisis. Ndayishimiye emphasized Burundi’s active role in African-led mediation efforts.

« Burundi backs all initiatives aimed at restoring durable peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly the Washington and Doha processes, as well as the African Union’s efforts through the AU envoy for peace in DRC and the panel of former African heads of state. I reaffirmed my personal commitment to African mediation, including through a monitoring mechanism for ongoing processes », he explained.

This meeting between Félix Tshisekedi and Évariste Ndayishimiye comes at a time when diplomatic efforts—including the Washington and Doha agreements—are underway to establish a lasting ceasefire and revive dialogue among conflict parties in eastern DRC. However, these initiatives have yet to yield tangible results on the ground, where hostilities between rebels and government forces persist.

Calls from national, regional, and international actors for adherence to peace commitments remain largely unheeded. The persistent gap between diplomatic progress and ground realities continues to widen, as each party interprets agreement provisions differently, undermining their implementation.