Kenya calls for unified peace framework in Eastern DRC, urges immediate ceasefire
The proposal seeks to address ongoing coordination challenges between the two regional peace mechanisms - the AU-led Luanda Process, spearheaded by Angola to mediate between Rwanda and the DRC, and the EAC-led Nairobi Process.
Kenya has called for the harmonisation of regional peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), urging the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to merge the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes into a single, coordinated strategy.
Speaking in Dar es Salaam on Friday during a joint EAC/SADC foreign ministers meeting, Kenya’s top diplomat Musalia Mudavadi emphasized that aligning these frameworks is essential to achieving sustainable peace in the conflict-ridden eastern DRC.
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“The Nairobi and Luanda processes must be harmonized to eliminate duplication and maximise impact,” Mudavadi stated. “A joint approach will ensure greater coherence and effectiveness in tackling the security and humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC.”
The proposal seeks to address ongoing coordination challenges between the two regional peace mechanisms—the AU-led Luanda Process, spearheaded by Angola to mediate between Rwanda and the DRC, and the EAC-led Nairobi Process, which has focused on intra-Congolese dialogue.
Mudavadi warned that the failure to synchronise peace efforts risks prolonging the conflict, which continues to mutate into deeper security threats, including sexual violence, illicit arms proliferation, warlord economies, and the erosion of state institutions.
A view of the EAC-SADC Ministers’ Meeting in Dar es Salaam on the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC on February 7, 2025. (Photo: Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary)
“Peace is not instant coffee. You cannot brew it overnight. We have a golden moment as EAC and SADC to help the people of DRC,” he declared.
Intensified violence
Kenya’s call for unification comes as violence in eastern DRC intensifies, with armed groups—most notably the Rwandan-backed M23 rebels—expanding their grip over strategic areas such as North Kivu.
The Kenyan Foreign Minister joined his Zimbabwean counterpart, Prof. Amon Murwira, the Chair of the SADC Council of Ministers, in condemning attacks on peacekeeping missions, calling them a breach of international security frameworks.
“All parties in the DRC must respect international law, including the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, to ensure the safety of diplomatic assets and personnel,” Mudavadi insisted.
The Dar es Salaam meeting, held ahead of a joint EAC-SADC Heads of State summit scheduled for Saturday, was aimed at forging a more effective regional response.
President William Ruto is expected to attend the high-level discussions, where Kenya will push for a unified ceasefire agreement and a regional stabilization roadmap.
For decades, eastern DRC has remained a flashpoint of violence, exacerbated by mineral wealth competition and historical tensions stemming from the aftermath of the Rwandan genocide.
Mudavadi stressed that unless regional actors take decisive action now, the conflict will spiral further, worsening an already dire humanitarian situation that has displaced millions and fueled cycles of insecurity.
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