Online Reporter
Debra Matabvu, Zimpapers Writer
THE Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), and the African Union (AU) have finalised the terms of reference for six mediators appointed to help resolve the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and will shortly hold a joint meeting to define their roles.
The terms of reference outline the responsibilities and scope of work for the mediators tasked with facilitating dialogue and supporting peace efforts in the troubled region. Recently, Sadc-EAC leaders appointed former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba Panza, and former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde to spearhead efforts to end the conflict in DRC. The AU also appointed Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé as mediator.
In a virtual joint Sadc-EAC meeting held in March, the co-chairs, President Mnangagwa and his Kenyan counterpart, President William Ruto, as well as the AU, were directed to convene a briefing session with the panel of facilitators.
In an interview, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Professor Amon Murwira said the meeting will be held “anytime from now”.
“What SADC, EAC, and AU have done is to come up with the terms of reference for the facilitators. They are now done with the draft document. So the next meeting that will be held will now discuss the terms of reference for the facilitators and to brief the facilitators, which will be the agenda and basis of the meeting.
“The date and place of the meeting are still being finalised. However, the meeting will be held anytime from now since the document has now been finalised. SADC and EAC will definitely attend the meeting and it is most likely that AU will also be part of the meeting since they also participated in drafting the document,” Prof Murwira said.
One of the mediators in the DRC conflict, former President Obasanjo, on Friday paid a courtesy call on President Mnangagwa and called on African countries to take the lead in coming up with solutions to the continent’s challenges.
Recently, the United Nations Security Council applauded efforts by the two regional blocs to resolve the DRC crisis and strongly condemned the ongoing offensive by M23 rebels in eastern DRC. It reiterated the urgent appeal for all parties to conclude an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, as called for by leaders from EAC and SADC.
The M23 rebels have been moving south towards Bukavu, the capital of South Kivu province, in what appears to be an attempt to expand their area of control in the country’s east after capturing the city of Goma. The group has accused the government of Congo of not living up to the peace deal and fully integrating Congolese Tutsis into the army and administration.
The latest advances are part of a major escalation of a decades-old conflict over power, identity, and resources that has killed hundreds of thousands of people and displaced millions since its recent resurgence.
According to reports, at least 7 000 people have died in the fighting since January this year, with over 600 000 people having been displaced since November last year.
