Kenya calls for sustained international funding to avert further conflict in DRC
He proposed the formation of a Joint Technical Team under the regional secretariats of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to help coordinate these initiatives.
President William Ruto has called for international support in funding and engaging in peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) under the merged Nairobi-Luanda processes.
Speaking during a diplomatic address to heads of mission and international organisations on Monday at State House, Ruto emphasised the need for a structured and predictable mechanism to finance peace efforts, warning that inconsistent funding often leads to delays that create vacuums and increase the risk of further violence.
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"Peace initiatives such as the DRC process require sustained funding. However, many efforts falter due to inconsistent financing, leading to delays that create vacuums and risk further violence,” he said.
To prevent this, Ruto called for the establishment of a structured and predictable mechanism for funding peace initiatives.
He proposed the formation of a Joint Technical Team under the regional secretariats of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to help coordinate these initiatives.
He explained that the team would be responsible for developing a coordinated strategy for financing, ensuring accountability, and mobilising support from international partners.
“I urge states and international organisations to work together to guarantee adequate resources for effective peacebuilding," he said.
"A structured approach to funding and international engagement is essential to sustaining the EAC-SADC peace initiative in the DRC.”
As chair of the EAC, Ruto reiterated calls made by the African Union (AU), SADC, the United Nations (UN), the G7, the European Union (EU), Britain, the United States, and other key stakeholders urging all parties involved in the DRC conflict to prioritise negotiations and commit to lasting peace.
Tumaini Initiative
He highlighted Kenya’s ongoing peace and security efforts across Africa, pointing to the Tumaini Initiative, which seeks to promote dialogue and reconciliation in South Sudan, as well as Kenya’s role in stabilising Somalia.
Heads of State and Government during the joint EAC-SADC Summit at State House, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on February 8, 2025. (Photo: PCS)
“We urge our international partners to support these missions to ensure their success. In late January, I met Sudan’s Foreign Minister, Ali alSadiq Youssif and discussed the terrible situation in Sudan that will be the next frontier for regional peace efforts," he said.
He further called on the DRC government to ensure the safety of diplomatic staff and peace missions, expressing concern over recent attacks targeting peacekeepers and foreign personnel.
"It is regrettable that diplomatic missions and peacekeeping forces, including SADC and UN personnel, have come under attack in the DRC," he said.
The call follows the EAC and SADC Summit held on Saturday regarding the DRC crisis, where regional leaders agreed to merge the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes and resume direct negotiations between Kinshasa, M23, and other non-state actors under the merged framework.
The leaders emphasised the significance of both peace processes and resolved to strengthen them separately while ensuring their complementarity. They noted that political and diplomatic engagement remains the most viable path to resolving the DRC conflict.
He urged all parties involved in the Eastern DRC conflict to cease hostilities and embrace dialogue, stressing that peace remains the only sustainable solution.
"We reiterate our call for an immediate cessation of hostilities and urge all parties to engage in meaningful dialogue for lasting peace," he said.
He further noted that the crisis in Eastern DRC has deep-rooted historical, economic, and political dimensions, exacerbated by external influences.
"There is also a clandestine international dimension at play, whose persistent and destructive effects must neither be underestimated nor ignored any longer," he said.
Ruto cautioned that military interventions alone would not resolve the crisis, urging the M23 rebel group to halt its advance after its recent seizure of Goma, the largest city in Eastern DRC. He also appealed to the Congolese armed forces to avoid retaliatory attacks, warning that continued conflict would only worsen the humanitarian crisis.
Beyond Africa, Ruto hailed Kenya’s involvement in global security through the Multi-National Security Support Initiative in Haiti, describing it as part of Kenya’s commitment to pan-African solidarity wherever needed.
He called on the diplomatic community to encourage their governments to participate in these critical humanitarian and multilateral efforts.
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