On June 7 and 8, 2026, the Togolese capital served as the primary venue for a high-level strategic summit focused on the persistent instability in the eastern République démocratique du Congo (RDC). This gathering brought together key representatives from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (CIRGL). They were joined by envoys from the African Union (UA) and the United Nations (ONU) to evaluate the effectiveness of current diplomatic strategies and determine how to bring warring factions closer to a definitive resolution.
Lomé becomes the center of a unified mediation strategy
The selection of Togo as the meeting point is a strategic move. Faure Gnassingbé, serving as the UA facilitator for the Congolese crisis, has spent months attempting to harmonize various peace initiatives that have often operated without coordination. The Nairobi process, led by the EAC, and the Luanda process, overseen by the UA and previously spearheaded by Angolan President João Lourenço, have historically moved in different directions. While a merger of these diplomatic paths began in 2024, the impact on the ground remains limited.
Diplomats in Lomé acknowledged that a lack of synchronization remains the greatest obstacle to peace. Participants stressed the importance of streamlining communication channels to prevent combatants from exploiting divisions between different mediators. This fragmentation has long benefited armed groups, particularly the Mouvement du 23 mars (M23), which has significantly expanded its military footprint across North Kivu and South Kivu.
Strained negotiations between Kinshasa, Kigali, and the M23
Despite the high-level discussions in Togo, tangible progress remains slow. Direct negotiations between the government in Kinshasa and the M23, which Congolese authorities had long avoided, have finally commenced under intense pressure from regional mediators and international partners. Simultaneously, the bilateral tension between the RDC and Rwanda continues to be the most complex political knot to untie, as Kinshasa continues to accuse Kigali of providing support to the rebel movement.
Mediators highlighted a concerning delay in the execution of previous agreements, specifically regarding the withdrawal of foreign military forces and the encampment of various armed factions. The challenges facing the SADC mission in RDC (SAMIDRC), which suffered significant losses in early 2025, underscore the limitations of a purely military response to a conflict rooted in complex economic, land, and identity issues.
Addressing the war economy to ensure lasting stability
Beyond political maneuvering, the summit highlighted the urgent need to dismantle the illegal networks exploiting the mineral wealth of the Kivu regions. The trade of coltan, tin, gold, and tungsten continues to fund a war economy with deep international ties. Many mediators are now advocating for a robust regional traceability system, which they consider a mandatory requirement for any lasting de-escalation of violence.
While the Lomé sessions did not result in a definitive breakthrough, they reinforced the commitment to a more integrated peace process. Future efforts are expected to involve Congolese civil society more directly, as these groups have often been excluded from high-level state discussions. Traditional leaders and local organizations in North and South Kivu are now seen as essential partners in ensuring any future peace deal is respected on the ground.
The summit concluded without a firm timeline for a comprehensive peace accord. The coming months will reveal if the diplomatic momentum generated in Togo is enough to change the course of a conflict that has plagued the Great Lakes region for over thirty years.