Africa-Press. The Togolese capital, Lomé, witnessed a meeting that included representatives from regional African organizations, the United Nations, and the African Union to review the progress made in the mediation efforts aimed at ending the ongoing crisis in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Southern African Development Community, the East African Community, and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, along with UN envoys and officials from the African Union. They assessed the results of the roadmap approved last January to unify African mediation efforts.
Participants discussed the progress achieved in various negotiation tracks, including initiatives from the African Union and ongoing talks in Doha and Washington, amid persistent obstacles hindering a comprehensive settlement.
Regarding the Doha track, negotiations continue on six out of eight protocols within the framework agreement signed in November 2025, while the track faces challenges related to the absence of a binding mechanism for implementing agreements.
On the U.S.-sponsored track, the issue of the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from Congolese territory remains contentious, with the withdrawal not verified and ongoing clashes and drone strikes between the armed forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the March 23 Movement.
Diplomatic sources confirmed that African mediation efforts still lack effective implementation mechanisms, as they do not have the authority to impose sanctions or compel the conflicting parties to adhere to the agreements reached.
Participants also discussed ways to activate the joint verification mechanism for the ceasefire, established in Switzerland last April with representatives from the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the March 23 Movement, but which has yet to commence effective operations.
The meeting included the head of the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, James Swan, and the UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Huang Xia, who emphasized the importance of enhancing coordination between the UN and regional partners to support peace and stability efforts in the country.
Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo has experienced ongoing security disturbances for over three decades, which have intensified in recent years with the resurgence of the March 23 Movement and its control over the cities of Goma and Bukavu in 2025. Despite the signing of peace agreements and ceasefire principles under international and regional sponsorship, their results on the ground remain limited.
