DRC: William Ruto receives a Congolese delegation to discuss the security crisis in the east of the country
Kenyan President William Ruto, also the current chair of the East African Community (EAC), received a high-level delegation on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, sent by Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi. The discussions mainly focused on the escalating security situation in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), marked by the activities of the M23 rebellion, which is supported by Rwanda.
William Ruto stated that the talks explored options to resolve the crisis, in line with decisions made during the joint EAC-SADC Summit in Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) and the Peace and Security Council meeting of the African Union in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). The Congolese delegation was composed of Sumbu Sita Mambu, Tshisekedi’s senior representative for the follow-up of the Luanda Roadmap, National Assembly member Lambert Mende, as well as the ministers of Public Works and Foreign Trade, Alexis Gisaro and Julien Paluku.
This meeting comes ten days after the joint SADC-EAC summit, which resulted in several resolutions, including the cessation of hostilities, an immediate ceasefire, the reopening of Goma airport and humanitarian supply routes, as well as the repatriation of deceased soldiers and the evacuation of the wounded. However, these decisions remain largely unimplemented to date.
Other measures discussed included the development of a plan to secure Goma and its surroundings, the convening of a meeting of the EAC and SADC Chiefs of Staff to assess the implementation of the decisions, and strengthening coordination between the Nairobi and Luanda processes. The addition of facilitators from other regions of Africa was also discussed to encourage the merging of these two processes.
Despite repeated calls from the international community and regional organizations, the M23 rebellion continues to advance in South Kivu, exacerbating the security and humanitarian crisis in Eastern DRC. This meeting highlights the urgency of finding lasting solutions to restore peace in the region.
