Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, president of Togo’s Council of Ministers and the African Union’s designated mediator for the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region, convened a crucial meeting in Lomé on Monday, June 8, 2026. The session focused on the semi-annual review of mediation activities amid a persistent diplomatic impasse and ongoing violence between government forces and the AFC/M23 rebellion, which is supported by Rwanda.
Bringing together the members of the College of Facilitators appointed by the African Union, the meeting also included 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 7-8, the meeting aimed to assess progress since the mediation architecture was established in Lomé on January 17, 2026. Participants also defined priorities for the second half of the year, aimed at supporting the Washington and Doha peace processes led by the United States and Qatar, respectively.
Strategic directions for the second half of 2026
According to the Togolese presidency’s communiqué, the evaluation meeting adopted several strategic directions. These include bolstering internal coordination between the Mediator’s Office, the Panel of Facilitators, the African Union Commission, and the independent Joint Secretariat.
Stakeholders also emphasized the need to structure and make available an African contribution to the complementary Washington and Doha processes. The goal is to increase ownership, legitimacy, and facilitate implementation.
Furthermore, participants called on all states and organizations involved in mediation efforts to enhance cooperation in a spirit of solidarity, while respecting the responsibilities and mandates defined in the Lomé mediation architecture of January 17, 2026.
Immediate decisions
The meeting adopted several measures to boost mediation effectiveness. These include adjusting the work plans of the Panel of Facilitators for the second half of 2026, as well as developing, within fifteen days, an operational action plan detailing the implementation modalities of the decisions taken.
“Driven by a renewed collective will and a spirit of shared responsibility, participants committed to implementing the meeting’s decisions with diligence and coherence, honoring their commitments, and working together for lasting peace in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region,” the Togolese presidency stated.
This gathering followed a high-level meeting on coherence and consolidation of the peace process in the DRC, held on January 16-17 in Lomé, Togo. Initiated by Faure Gnassingbé, the lead AU mediator for eastern DRC, that earlier meeting aimed to build trust, advance dialogue, and ensure compliance with commitments by all actors.
That initiative brought together a panel of facilitators including former heads of state, Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, representatives from the EAC and SADC, and several international partners. It was part of ongoing diplomatic efforts for stability in eastern DRC.
Out of those January talks, the African Union unveiled its mediation architecture for the DRC peace process. Under this framework, the mediation is led by President Faure Gnassingbé, supported by a Togolese mediation support team from the foreign ministry and presidency.
Five co-facilitators, all former African heads of state, are assigned specific thematic areas. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo handles military and security matters. Former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde deals with humanitarian issues. Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta oversees dialogue with local armed groups. Former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi is responsible for regional economic cooperation. Former Central African Republic transitional President Catherine Samba-Panza leads on civil society, reconciliation, and gender issues.
The architecture also includes an independent Joint Secretariat involving Togo, the African Union, EAC, SADC, and ICGLR. The African Union Commission coordinates with international partners, including the United Nations, Qatar, the European Union, and the Group of five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
