A historic summit was held on Saturday in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, bringing together leaders from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). The primary agenda was to address the escalating conflict in eastern the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
In a unified communique, regional leaders called for an immediate ceasefire and the restoration of critical supply lines in the DRC. The March 23 Movement (M23) has been advancing toward Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu Province, after establishing its administration in Goma, the center of North Kivu Province.
Understanding the urgency, the summit directed the EAC-SADC Chiefs of Defense Forces to convene within five days to develop technical measures ensuring an unconditional ceasefire. Leaders emphasized the need to reopen vital traffic routes, particularly the road between Goma and Bukavu, and to restore operations at Goma International Airport, which suffered significant damage amid the hostilities.
The communique highlighted that political and diplomatic engagement remains the most sustainable path to resolving the conflict. Regional leaders expressed support for resuming direct negotiations with all involved parties, including the M23, within existing mediation frameworks. Although Kinshasa has so far rejected direct talks with the M23, there are indications of reviving the Nairobi Peace Process, a key initiative led by the EAC.
To strengthen peace efforts, regional countries proposed merging the Nairobi Process with the Luanda Process, another peace mechanism initiated by the African Union and facilitated by Angolan President Joao Lourenco. This merged approach aims to overcome previous setbacks, such as the impasse in the Nairobi Process and the abrupt cancellation of a Luanda Process summit.
Co-chaired by EAC Chairperson and Kenyan President William Ruto and SADC Chairperson and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, the summit aimed to prevent the conflict from spiraling into a broader regional war. Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye warned that continued violence risks widespread war in the region.
The ongoing conflict between the M23 rebels and the Congolese government is deeply rooted in the aftermath of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and persistent ethnic tensions between Tutsi and Hutu populations. Accusations have flown between the DRC and Rwanda, with the DRC alleging Rwandan support for the M23, while Rwanda accuses the DRC military of aligning with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (DFLR), a group implicated in the 1994 genocide.
Both Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC President Felix Tshisekedi attended the summit, underscoring the regional commitment to peace. The communique also called for the withdrawal of \"uninvited foreign armed forces\" from DRC territory, emphasizing respect for the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Tragically, the conflict has resulted in at least 2,900 deaths during the M23's capture of Goma, which has remained under rebel control since January 26. Ongoing clashes in South Kivu are causing mass displacement and civilian casualties, with thousands fleeing combat zones toward Bukavu, which remains under threat of further M23 attacks.
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African leaders call for immediate ceasefire in eastern DR Congo
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