On June 7 and 8, 2026, the Togolese capital became the center of high-level discussions aimed at resolving the persistent instability in the eastern regions of the République démocratique du Congo (RDC). Representatives from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (CIRGL) joined forces with United Nations (ONU) and African Union (UA) officials to evaluate current diplomatic strategies and bridge the gap between warring factions.
Lomé serves as a hub for fragmented mediation
The choice of Togo as a meeting point is strategic. Faure Gnassingbé, acting as the African Union’s facilitator for the Congolese crisis, has spent months attempting to harmonize various peace initiatives that have historically operated in isolation. The Nairobi process and the Luanda roadmap, the latter previously steered by Angola’s João Lourenço, are being integrated to create a more cohesive front. However, the merger of these tracks, which began in 2024, has yet to yield significant improvements on the ground.
Diplomats present in Lomé acknowledged that a lack of synchronization remains the primary weakness of the peace effort. Participants emphasized the need to streamline dialogue channels to prevent combatants from playing one mediation team against another. This lack of coordination has long benefited armed groups, most notably the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23), whose military advances in Nord-Kivu and Sud-Kivu have significantly altered the regional security landscape.
Tensions persist between Kinshasa, Kigali, and the M23
While the meeting in Togo highlighted diplomatic intentions, actual progress remains modest. Under international and regional pressure, Kinshasa has finally entered into direct discussions with the M23, a move the Congolese authorities had long resisted. Simultaneously, the bilateral relationship between the RDC and Rwanda remains the most complex political knot to untie, as accusations of support for rebel movements continue to strain ties between the two neighbors.
Mediators noted that the implementation of previous agreements, including the withdrawal of foreign forces and the cantonment of various armed groups, is facing worrying delays. The deployment of the SADC mission in the RDC (SAMIDRC), which suffered significant casualties in early 2025, underscores the limitations of regional military interventions in a conflict driven by deep-seated economic, land, and identity issues.
Addressing the war economy to end the crisis
Beyond political maneuvering, the participants stressed the urgent need to dismantle the illegal exploitation of mineral resources in the Kivu region. The trade of coltan, tin, gold, and tungsten continues to fuel a war economy with global reach. Many mediators are now calling for a regional traceability mechanism, viewing it as an essential requirement for any lasting de-escalation.
Although the Lomé summit did not result in a major breakthrough, it reaffirmed the necessity of an integrated approach. Future steps are expected to involve Congolese civil society and traditional leaders more closely, as they are seen as vital links for ensuring that any peace agreement resonates within the impacted communities. For now, the mediators have left the Togolese capital without a definitive timeline for a global settlement, leaving the future of the Great Lakes region in a state of diplomatic flux.