Kinshasa, July 14th, 2025 (CPA).- Ownership of the Washington Agreement for the return of peace to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo was recommended on Monday by the African Union Panel of Facilitators during a discussion with the Prime Minister, according to a press release. « The signing of this peace agreement is very important, and it has therefore made it possible to launch the peace process. « We want the population to absorb this agreement, to take ownership of it, and to know that it is an opening towards a process of moving towards peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo, » declared Catherine Samba, former head of state of the Central African Republic. She indicated that it was important, as part of the mission entrusted by the African Union, to meet with the authorities to gain their perspectives on the peace processes that have taken place and the ongoing one. She also indicated that it was important to subsequently meet with the main actors in the Congolese crisis and the population to work together, as far as possible, to consolidate the various peace agreements and ongoing peace initiatives. For her part, the former head of state of Ethiopia referred to the valuable information received regarding all the processes led by Kinshasa for the full return of peace to the eastern part of the country. « We learned a lot from our discussions. » « To resolve a conflict, there is no one-size-fits-all roadmap, » she said. Regarding the Doha talks, the Panel of Facilitators for the African Peace Mediation for the DRC expressed confidence in the outcome of this process. « We believe it’s moving in the right direction, and I hope it will lead to a solution that will allow the rest to work. And I am convinced that ultimately, the African Union will have the greatest role to play when it comes to implementing all of this. So it’s the goodwill we’ve had, the commitment we’ve seen, and we hope it can happen, » stressed Ethiopian Sahle-Work.
Prime Minister Suminwa’s Leadership in the Spotlight
The Prime Minister between the two mediators
Furthermore, the two mediators unanimously praised the promotion of women’s skills in the DRC, embodied by Prime Minister Suminwa, the first woman to head the Congolese central executive. « You are in a country where there is a very strong promotion of women. The good example is here, with Madam Prime Minister. The same is true for the panel. This is the first time we’ve seen women. We are determined to play our part and ensure that the voices of those who were previously unheard can be heard, » concluded the former Ethiopian president. The African Peace Mediation Facilitators’ Panel for the DRC, established by the African Union, aims to strengthen peace and security, support mediation by facilitating dialogue between the various parties to the conflict, and promote reconciliation by creating an environment conducive to reconciliation between communities affected by the conflict.