African Leaders Expand Congo Peace Mediation Efforts

African Regional Blocs Expand Peace Mediation Team Amid Escalating Congo Conflict
Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Efforts to bring an end to one of the most intense conflicts in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo in decades have received new momentum, following the decision by Southern and Eastern African political blocs to expand their mediation team. The announcement came during a high-level summit of heads of state on Monday, described by Rwanda as “fruitful.”

The renewed diplomatic push comes at a critical moment. Last week, attempts to negotiate peace in Angola were derailed when the M23 rebel group—widely believed to be backed by Rwanda—refused to attend talks with the Congolese government. Shortly after, the rebels seized the strategic town of Walikale, escalating the already volatile situation.

Rooted in the complex aftermath of Rwanda’s 1994 genocide and competition over the region’s vast mineral wealth, the conflict has plunged eastern Congo into turmoil. The M23 now controls two of the region’s largest cities, resulting in thousands of casualties and raising concerns of a broader regional conflict.

To reinvigorate peace efforts, five former African heads of state have been appointed to facilitate negotiations. Among them are Nigeria’s Olusegun Obasanjo, South Africa’s Kgalema Motlanthe, and Ethiopia’s Sahle-Work Zewde, according to a joint statement released early Tuesday.

The Congolese presidency confirmed via X (formerly Twitter) that the newly formed panel will soon designate a new chief mediator. This follows the withdrawal of Angola’s president from the role after years of unsuccessful attempts to de-escalate tensions between Rwanda and Congo.

Rwanda, which is currently facing international sanctions and aid suspensions over allegations of arming and deploying troops in support of M23, stated on X that participants in Monday’s summit were committed to a political solution addressing the “security concerns of all parties.”

Kinshasa accuses the M23 of functioning as a proxy for Rwandan interests—an allegation Kigali denies. Rwanda maintains that its actions are defensive, aimed at neutralizing threats posed by Congo’s army and hostile militias.

Complicating diplomatic efforts further was a surprise meeting last week brokered by the Emir of Qatar between Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Though the encounter—their first since the latest escalation—resulted in a joint statement alongside Qatar calling for an “immediate and unconditional” ceasefire, it failed to yield any tangible de-escalation on the ground.

M23 subsequently pulled out of what would have been its first face-to-face negotiations with the Congolese government after the European Union imposed sanctions targeting both rebel and Rwandan officials.

As the international community watches closely, the expanded African mediation panel now faces the difficult task of bridging deep-rooted animosities and restoring a pathway to peace in a region long plagued by violence and instability.