The African Union (AU) is officially taking the lead in steering the peace process for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), following a major decision to consolidate previous efforts under one unified front. During a high-level meeting held at State House, Nairobi, President William Ruto announced that the Nairobi and Luanda-led peace processes would be merged and placed under the AU Commission’s (AUC) leadership.
Why is the AU taking over the DRC peace process?
President Ruto emphasized the need for a coordinated approach, stating, “To this end, we call for the merger of the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes to address the instability in the DRC.” The move aims to streamline efforts and improve collaboration with existing peace accords, specifically those brokered in Washington and Doha. Former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who led the Nairobi initiative, was present at the announcement, marking the formal end of his mediation role.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe also expressed support for the decision, adding, “We appreciate the commitment made by both EACRF and SADC peacekeeping missions.”
What triggered this shift in the DRC peace strategy?
The announcement follows a disturbing report from the U.N. Joint Human Rights Office, which revealed that M23 rebels killed 169 civilians, including farmers, in an attack on July 9, 2025. This massacre underscored the urgent need for a more robust, centralized approach to ending violence in the mineral-rich North Kivu region, where nearly 3,000 people have died in ongoing clashes between M23 militants and government forces.
AU Chairperson Mohammoud Youssef Ali affirmed the union’s commitment to resolving the crisis, stating, “We will strive towards achieving lasting peace in Eastern DRC.” The AU Commission has also been tasked with coordinating all humanitarian mobilization efforts and convening an extraordinary virtual summit within seven days to relay the outcomes of the Nairobi meeting. This summit will include joint participation from the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) heads of state.
With the merger of these peace frameworks, the AU now holds the responsibility to guide the DRC toward a peaceful and unified future, with the hope that a single, coordinated voice can finally silence the guns in Eastern Congo.
By Lucky Anyanje
