AU Merges Peace Efforts for DRC as Kigali Faces Pressure

Nairobi, August 1, 2025; In a major diplomatic shift, the African Union (AU) has announced the merger of all regional peace initiatives concerning the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) into a unified mechanism. The declaration came at a high-level summit in Nairobi, co-chaired by Kenyan President William Ruto (EAC Chair) and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa (SADC Chair), in a bid to finally confront the long-standing crisis in eastern DRC.

This move marks a turning point in African diplomacy, following the collapse of previous peace efforts, notably the Nairobi Process (led by former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta) and the Luanda Process (facilitated by Angolan President João Lourenço under AU mandate). Both efforts, aimed at resolving the war in the DRC and mediating with Rwanda, failed to stop the violence.

Failed Diplomacy, Sabotaged Peace

The Nairobi Process was originally designed to bring together armed groups operating in eastern Congo, while the Luanda Process sought to broker peace between the DRC and Rwanda, the country widely accused of backing the M23 rebel movement.

However, both initiatives collapsed under pressure. Observers blame Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who is accused of sabotaging peace talks from within the AU by leveraging his influence and allies inside the continental body. Despite the DRC's repeated calls for support, any meaningful resolution has been obstructed by Kigali’s hidden hand, many analysts argue.

DRC Goes Global: UN, Brussels, Doha, and Washington

Frustrated by African inaction, President Félix Tshisekedi turned outward, widening the battlefield to global diplomacy:

• At the UN, he secured Resolution 2773, a landmark vote condemning Rwandan aggression, passed unanimously.

• In Brussels, Congo obtained the lifting of a first wave of sanctions against Kigali.

• In Qatar and Washington, the DRC engaged in active diplomacy to internationalize the conflict and push Rwanda into the spotlight.

Notably, Qatar and the U.S. are now serving as international facilitators in ongoing negotiations between the DRC and M23-RDF forces, a move many view as a counterbalance to Rwanda’s narrative.

The Nairobi summit produced a concrete, historic outcome: the full merger of the EAC, SADC, and AU peace structures into a single, centralized mechanism. According to the final communiqué:

This unified approach is expected to reduce bureaucratic conflict, align regional priorities, and hold all facilitators accountable to a single African vision for peace.

Kagame Must Be Held Accountable

But critics warn that structural reform is not enough if the root cause, Rwanda’s military interference in the DRC, is not directly addressed.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump once estimated that over 8 million Congolese lives were lost due to Rwanda-backed conflicts. Yet, Kagame continues to evade direct accountability.

Many now argue that Rwanda must enter into direct dialogue with its exiled opposition, including the FDLR, just as the DRC is negotiating with M23-RDF rebels under Qatari mediation.

• READ: 2025 UN Report Exposes Rwanda use FDLR as Cover for War Crimes in DRC

Who Represented the DRC?

The DRC was officially represented at the Nairobi summit by Minister of Foreign Affairs Thérèse Kayikwaba Wagner. Her presence signaled Kinshasa’s willingness to engage regionally, but with clear red lines: no more fragmented mediation, no more behind-the-scenes sabotage.

Observers see the merger of peace mechanisms as a sign that African leaders are beginning to take responsibility for their own crises, without leaning excessively on external powers.

Whether the Nairobi Accord will succeed where Doha, Luanda, and Nairobi I failed remains to be seen. But this moment represents a rare instance of African unity, with all eyes now on Addis Ababa and the AU's next steps.

The question remains:

Will Africa finally confront the dictator in its midst, or allow another decade of bloodshed in the Congo?