Southern and Eastern African nations have expanded the team of former heads of state overseeing efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo, aiming to inject fresh momentum into stalled negotiations.
Following a virtual summit on Monday, the primary political blocs of Southern and Eastern Africa appointed five former heads of state to “facilitate” the peace process, according to an official statement.
The newly selected mediators are Nigeria’s Olusegun Obasanjo, South Africa’s Kgalema Motlanthe, Ethiopia’s Sahle-Work Zewde, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, and Central African Republic’s Catherine Samba Panza.
The latest setback in the conflict occurred on Monday when the M23 rebels reneged on a pledge to withdraw from the strategic town of Walikale, accusing the Congolese army of continuing offensive operations despite previous agreements.
The roots of the conflict trace back to the aftermath of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda and ongoing struggles for control over the region’s vast mineral resources. Since M23 escalated its offensive in January, the rebel group has seized eastern Congo’s two largest cities, causing thousands of deaths and heightening fears of a broader regional war.
In a significant move, Congo’s presidency announced that the new panel of former leaders would appoint a mediator to replace Angolan President João Lourenço, who stepped down from the role on Monday after years of unsuccessful attempts to ease tensions between Rwanda and Congo.
Rwanda’s government, which has been sanctioned by several Western nations for allegedly supplying M23 with arms and troops, stated on X that leaders at the summit “committed to a political solution that addresses the security concerns of all parties.” While Kigali denies supporting M23, it maintains that Rwandan forces are acting in self-defence against Congo’s army and militias that are hostile to Rwanda.
Last week, Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame held their first direct talks in Qatar, where they both expressed support for an immediate ceasefire. However, M23 has dismissed these calls, insisting that the conflict can only be resolved through direct negotiations with the Congolese government.
A planned meeting in Angola, which was supposed to follow Tshisekedi’s reversal of his long-standing refusal to negotiate with M23, collapsed after the rebels withdrew in protest over newly imposed European Union sanctions.
The escalating violence has raised concerns of a wider regional war, with the armies of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi all involved in the fighting.
Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, whose troops have fought alongside Congo’s forces against M23, warned in an interview with the BBC that Rwanda “has a plan to attack Burundi.” He added, “Burundians will not accept to be killed as Congolese are being killed,” while emphasising his preference for resolving the issue through dialogue.
Burundi and Rwanda have a history of tense relations, though officials from both countries have engaged in discussions in recent weeks. Addressing Ndayishimiye’s remarks, Rwandan government spokesperson Yolande Makolo told Reuters, “These comments are surprising because Rwandan and Burundian defence and security institutions have been meeting to discuss how to secure our common borders.”
