ARUSHA, TANZANIA, January 29, 2025 – The East African Community (EAC) convened an extraordinary virtual summit today to address the escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which has resulted in significant loss of life and a growing humanitarian crisis. Leaders from Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Burundi, South Sudan, Rwanda, and Uganda participated in the urgent meeting to discuss the situation.
The summit expressed concern over the deteriorating security conditions in the region, which have led to widespread displacement, particularly affecting women and children. The EAC heads of state offered condolences to the families of the victims and wished a swift recovery to the injured.
The summit also condemned recent attacks on diplomatic missions and embassies in Kinshasa, urging the government of DRC to ensure the safety of foreign diplomats and their property.
A key outcome of the meeting was a call for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire from all parties involved in the conflict. The leaders also urged for the facilitation of humanitarian access to the affected populations.
The summit encouraged the DRC government to engage directly with all relevant parties, including the M23 and other armed groups, to address their grievances and work toward a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
Recognizing the involvement of the South African Development Community (SADC) in the region, the summit agreed to pursue a joint EAC-SADC summit to deliberate on the way forward. The EAC chairperson was mandated to consult with SADC leadership to organize this summit in the coming days.
