Heads of state from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) held a virtual summit on March 24, 2025, to address the escalating security crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The meeting, co-chaired by Kenyan President Dr. William Ruto and Zimbabwean President Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, focused on implementing a roadmap for peace and stability in the conflict-affected region.
The summit reviewed and adopted recommendations from a ministerial meeting held in Harare on March 17, 2025. The report outlined immediate, medium-, and long-term strategies to curb violence and establish sustainable security measures in eastern DRC. Leaders directed that implementation begin without delay.
A panel of five eminent figures was appointed to facilitate diplomatic efforts. The panel includes former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba Panza, and former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde. The facilitators are tasked with guiding negotiations and conflict resolution efforts.
The EAC and SADC secretariats were instructed to notify the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) of the summit’s resolutions. Additionally, the co-chairs were mandated to convene a briefing with the facilitators within a week to ensure coordinated efforts between regional bodies and international partners.
Leaders acknowledged the contributions of the EAC and SADC secretariats in organizing the discussions.
