Former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde and former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza have completed the first phase of their African Union (AU)-mandated facilitation mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), laying groundwork for broader peace and reconciliation efforts in the conflict-torn east.
The mission, conducted between July 14 and 19, 2025, was carried out under the auspices of the AU and represents a joint initiative by the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC).
Acting on behalf of AU-appointed mediator Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Togolese Council, the two former leaders sought to advance dialogue and strengthen the search for a political settlement to the DRC’s enduring crisis.
“The conclusions of this first phase will lay the foundations for the next stages of the deployment of the two facilitators of the African Mediation, in favor of peace, reconciliation and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo,” the facilitators said in a joint communiqué issued on July 22.
During their visit, Zewde and Samba-Panza engaged in extensive consultations with Congolese leadership, including President Félix Tshisekedi, Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, and multiple cabinet ministers, discussing transitional justice, peacebuilding, and national cohesion.
They also held meetings with parliamentary leaders, religious representatives, and the National Fund for Reparations for Victims of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (FONAREV), underscoring the centrality of survivor-centered justice in the peace process.
The facilitators also sought input from grassroots stakeholders, including youth and women’s groups, civil society leaders, traditional authorities, and conflict-affected communities, as well as representatives of the United Nations and the humanitarian sector.
Their work forms part of a broader mandate given by the EAC and SADC in March, which appointed five former African heads of state — Olusegun Obasanjo, Uhuru Kenyatta, Kgalema Motlanthe, Samba-Panza, and Zewde — to help address the DRC crisis.
Under Gnassingbé’s guidance, this panel aims to ease tensions not only within eastern Congo but also with Rwanda, accused of backing the M23/AFC insurgency that controls swathes of North and South Kivu provinces.
The second phase of the mediation mission is expected to focus on concrete measures for de-escalation and the development of inclusive frameworks for lasting peace.
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