The joint Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)–East Africa Community (EAC) Heads of State and Government Summit on the security situation in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has resolved to merge the Nairobi peace process led by retired president Uhuru Kenyatta with the Luanda initiative.
In a communique issued on Saturday, February 8, 2025, after the conclusion of the meeting that was chaired by President William Ruto in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, the Joint Summit reaffirmed the critical role of both processes and directed that the two be merged into the Luanda/Nairobi process.
Luanda/Nairobi process
The Joint Summit further resolved to strengthen the two processes to enhance complementarity and mandated the co-chairs, in consultation with the African Union (AU), to consider and appoint additional facilitators to support the merged process.
“The Joint Summit reaffirmed the critical role of both the Luanda and Nairobi processes and directed that the two be merged into a Luanda/Nairobi process. The Joint Summit further resolved to strengthen the two processes to enhance complementarity and mandated the co-chairs, in consultation with the African Union, to consider and appoint additional facilitators, including from other regions of Africa, to support the merged process,” the communique read.
The African leaders agreed to meet urgently following their respective extraordinary summits held last month to deliberate on the way forward regarding the conflict in the DRC.
The summit was attended by nine heads of state, who included Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, Kenya’s William Ruto, Tanzania’s Samia Suluhu, Somalia’s Hassan Sheikh, Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, Rwanda’s Paul Kagame, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, and DR Congo’s Felix Tshisekedi, who joined virtually.
Burundi’s Evariste Ndayishimiye was represented by the country’s Prime Minister, Lieutenant General Gervais Ndirakobuca.
SADC support
The development comes a few days after the SADC Summit resolved to support the Nairobi peace process led by retired president Kenyatta.
In a communication on Saturday, February 1, 2025, the SADC summit stated that the Nairobi process and the Luanda process led by Angola’s president had their backing to end the tensions in the Eastern part of DRC.
“Summit reiterated its support for the diplomatic efforts to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict in the Eastern DRC through the Luanda Process, led by His Excellency João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of the Republic of Angola and the African Union Champion for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa, and the Nairobi Process, led by His Excellency Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of the Republic of Kenya,” the statement read.
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