In Lomé, the President of the Togolese Council, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, convened a pivotal meeting on Monday, June 8, 2026, in his capacity as the African Union’s mediator for the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region. The gathering served as a mid-year review of the African mediation activities, taking place amidst a standstill in diplomatic initiatives and continued hostilities between government forces and the Rwanda-backed AFC/M23 rebellion.
The session brought together the College of Facilitators designated by the African Union, along with representatives from the United Nations, the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Held over two days, June 7 and 8, 2026, the primary aim of these talks was to assess the progress achieved since the establishment of the mediation framework in Lomé on January 17, 2026. A key objective was to map out priorities for the second half of the year, aiming to bolster the complementary Washington and Doha processes, led by the United States and Qatar respectively.
Strategic Guidelines for the Second Half of 2026
The evaluation meeting concluded with the adoption of several strategic guidelines. These include strengthening internal coordination among the Mediator’s Office, the Panel of Facilitators, the African Union Commission, and the Independent Joint Secretariat.
Stakeholders also highlighted the critical need to structure and present a unified African contribution to the Washington and Doha processes. This is intended to enhance local ownership, legitimize the outcomes, and streamline their implementation.
Furthermore, participants urged all states and organizations involved in the mediation efforts to amplify their cooperation in a spirit of solidarity, while adhering to the roles and mandates established by the Lomé mediation architecture of January 17, 2026.
Immediate Decisions
To enhance the mediation’s effectiveness, several measures were immediately adopted. The work plans for the members of the Panel of Facilitators will be adjusted for the remainder of 2026. Additionally, an operational action plan detailing the implementation methods for the new decisions is to be drafted within a fortnight.
Driven by a renewed collective will and a sense of shared responsibility, the participants committed to implementing the meeting’s decisions with diligence and coherence. They pledged to honor their commitments and work in concert towards establishing lasting peace in the eastern DRC and the broader Great Lakes region.
This session follows the high-level meeting on coherence and consolidation of the DRC peace process held in Lomé on January 16-17. That initial meeting, spearheaded by Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, sought to build confidence between the conflicting parties, advance dialogue, and ensure adherence to commitments made by all actors.
The January initiative, which convened a panel of facilitators including former heads of state, Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, and representatives from the EAC and SADC alongside international partners, was a continuation of recent diplomatic efforts for stability in eastern DRC.
Following those earlier talks, the African Union unveiled its mediation structure for the peace process. This framework places the mediation under the authority of Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé, supported by a Togolese mediation team from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidency.
The structure also features five co-facilitators, all former African heads of state, assigned to specific thematic areas. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo handles military and security matters. Former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde is in charge of humanitarian issues. Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta oversees dialogue with local armed groups. Meanwhile, former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi is responsible for regional economic cooperation, and Catherine Samba-Panza, former transitional president of the Central African Republic, leads on matters related to civil society, reconciliation, and gender.
An Independent Joint Secretariat, comprising Togo, the African Union, EAC, SADC, and the ICGLR, is also part of the mechanism. The AU Commission is tasked with coordinating with international partners, including the United Nations, Qatar, the European Union, and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.