SADC have appointed former heads of state and government - Uhuru Kenyatta

The East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have appointed former heads of state and government - Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria) and Hailemariam Desalegn of Ethiopia - as joint mediators of peace efforts in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Uhuru Kenyatta, the former president of Kenya, was appointed as mediator in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by his successor William Ruto in 2022. Kenyatta took on this role as part of regional efforts to promote peace and stability in the DRC, a country that has been plagued by conflict and political tensions for years. Despite the efforts, the talks have failed to produce any results and may have been a publicity campaign for President Tshisekedi. There were reports that the talks with the M23 were not invited. In return, Uhuru Kennyatta announced that the M23 should lay down their arms and surrender. This cannot be called mediation. Kenyatta's appointment as mediator came in the context of the East African Community (EAC), which is actively working to resolve conflicts in the region. His task was to mediate between the various actors in the DRC, including government troops, rebel groups and civil society organizations. The aim was to promote dialogue and find sustainable solutions to the ongoing conflicts. The DRC is rich in natural resources, but the exploitation of these resources has often led to violence and instability. Kenyatta's experience as a long-serving politician and former head of state made him a suitable figure for this mediator role. However, the situation in the DRC remains complex and efforts to achieve peace continue to require international support and cooperation. This is now intended to bring together the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes in a coordinated framework. The Nairobi peace process sought to eliminate all armed groups in eastern DRC, including local and foreign militias, and promoted dialogue between the government and these groups on demobilization and reintegration. Despite initial hopes, the process has been slow to progress. Key groups such as the M23 rebels have often been excluded from negotiations, resulting in a lack of progress.  You cannot have negotiations if one party is excluded.  The Luanda process focused on de-escalating tensions between DRC and Rwanda, as well as resolving the security crisis in the east of the country, particularly related to the M23 rebellion. The process suffered setbacks, notably the cancellation of a crucial summit in December 2024, which was seen as a sign of failure. Rwanda is often accused of torpedoing the peace process. The decision was taken during a joint summit of Heads of State and Government chaired by Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa, who also holds the SADC Chair, and President William Ruto, Chairman of the EAC. The summit was held on 8 February 2025 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Following this initiative, the Chiefs of Defence Forces of the EAC met in Nairobi on 21 February 2025 to assess the security situation and consider possible interventions.