African mediation adopts new guidelines for eastern DRC peace process in second half of 2026

On Monday, 8 June 2026, Togolese Council President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the African Union mediator for the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region, led a mediation review session in Lomé. The meeting assessed six months of activities amid stalled diplomatic initiatives and ongoing clashes between government forces and the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebellion.

The gathering brought together the African Union-appointed College of Facilitators, along with representatives from the United Nations, the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Held over two days on 7 and 8 June 2026, the meeting aimed to review progress since the mediation framework was established in Lomé on 17 January 2026, and to set priorities for the second half of the year. This work supports the Washington and Doha processes led by the United States and Qatar respectively.

Strategic directions for the second semester of 2026

According to the Togolese presidency’s official account, the review session adopted several key orientations. These include strengthening internal coordination among the Mediator’s Office, the Panel of Facilitators, the African Union Commission, and the independent Joint Secretariat.

Participants also stressed the importance of structuring and delivering an African contribution to the complementary Washington and Doha tracks, to boost ownership, legitimacy, and implementation of the peace efforts.

They called on all states and organisations engaged in mediation to deepen cooperation in a spirit of solidarity, while respecting the roles and mandates defined in the Lomé mediation framework adopted on 17 January 2026.

Immediate decisions

The meeting also took concrete steps to make the mediation more effective. These include adjusting the work plans of Panel of Facilitators members for the second half of 2026, and drawing up, within fifteen days, an operational action plan detailing how to implement the adopted decisions.

“Driven by a renewed collective will and shared responsibility, participants committed to implementing the decisions of this meeting diligently and coherently, to honouring their pledges, and to working together for lasting peace in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region,” the Togolese presidency stated.

This latest meeting followed the high-level session on coherence and consolidation of the peace process in DRC, held on 16 and 17 January in Lomé. Initiated by Faure Gnassingbé, the African Union’s lead mediator for eastern DRC, that earlier gathering sought to build trust, advance dialogue, and ensure compliance with commitments by all parties involved in the peace process.

That initiative brought together a panel of facilitators—former heads of state—along with Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, representatives from the EAC and SADC, and several international partners. It was part of broader diplomatic efforts over recent months to stabilise eastern DRC.

At the conclusion of those talks, the African Union unveiled its mediation architecture for the eastern DRC peace process. Under this framework, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé serves as the African Union mediator, supported by a Togolese mediation support team from the foreign ministry and presidency.

Five co-facilitators, all former African heads of state, oversee specific themes: former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo handles military and security matters; former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde manages humanitarian issues; former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta supervises dialogue with local armed groups; former Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi works on regional economic cooperation; and former Central African Republic Transitional President Catherine Samba-Panza leads civil society, reconciliation, and gender-related files.

The structure also includes an independent Joint Secretariat involving Togo, the African Union, the EAC, SADC, and the ICGLR. The African Union Commission coordinates with international partners, including the United Nations, Qatar, the European Union, and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.