Kinshasa, October 11th, 2026 (CPA).-The delegation of facilitators from the African Union (AU) concluded its 72-hour consultation mission in Kinshasa on efforts to restore peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes Region on a note of satisfaction, following a meeting with President Félix Tshisekedi at the AU City.
At the end of their meeting, former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde expressed satisfaction, describing the mission as “fruitful” in the search for a solution to a conflict that has dragged on for far too long on the continent and has been costly in every respect. The delegation of the AU-appointed Panel of Facilitators arrived in Kinshasa on the evening of Thursday, October 8, to seek a way out of the security crisis affecting eastern DRC. According to the Presidency of the Republic, the delegation comprised former heads of state Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana and Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia. They were joined by Catherine Samba-Panza, former president of the Central African Republic, who had arrived in the capital 24 hours earlier. Before arriving in Kinshasa, the AU delegation travelled to Goma, in North Kivu, an area under the control of the M23-AFC, backed by the Rwandan army. While there, the Panel had an opportunity to assess the humanitarian situation, strengthen civilian protection, build confidence between the parties and advance the peace process amid the ongoing conflict in the east.
Compliance with the ceasefire and the continuation of the Doha peace process were also addressed during the visit.
72 hours of valuable consultations in Kinshasa
As outlined in its agenda, the AU Panel of Facilitators held discussions with Congolese officials and civil society representatives. On Friday, October 9th, President Tshisekedi held a one-on-one meeting with the high-level delegation. On that occasion, he called for the “concrete and genuine” implementation of commitments made by the parties involved in the security crisis in the eastern part of the country, while reaffirming the DRC’s commitment to the ongoing diplomatic processes. Prime Minister Judith Suminwa and several sectoral ministers also took part in the expanded meeting, which focused on the security crisis in the east. The Washington and Doha peace processes, under which several key commitments remain to be implemented on the ground, featured prominently in the discussions. In addition to meeting the President of the Republic, the AU facilitators also held talks on Friday with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs on the same issue.
The working session enabled both sides to deepen discussions on ongoing mediation efforts and prospects for consolidating diplomatic initiatives aimed at restoring peace, security and stability in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes Region.
In the same vein, the AU Panel of Facilitators met with a government delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of the Interior. Floribert Anzuluni, Minister in charge of Regional Integration, Désiré Cashmir Kolongele, Special Adviser to the Head of State on security matters, and Sumbu Sita, High Representative of the Head of State, attended the meeting. Yackoley Koukou Johnson, Minister Delegate to Togo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and representative of the African Union mediator, was also present. The senior-level attendance at the working session underscored its importance and significance for the Great Lakes Region.The delegation arrived in Kinshasa just days after Regional Integration Minister Floribert Anzuluni completed a series of working visits, in a short period, to the capitals of seven African countries to discuss the same issue.