Togo’s Prime Minister and African Union mediator Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé hosted Floribert Anzuluni, DRC’s Minister of Regional Integration, in a critical diplomatic meeting at Pya in the Kozah Prefecture on July 14, 2026. The discussions centered on strengthening bilateral ties between Kinshasa and Lomé, with a sharp focus on the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC and ongoing mediation efforts to restore lasting peace in the Great Lakes region.

According to Togo’s Council of Ministers, Anzuluni expressed gratitude for President Gnassingbé’s personal commitment to resolving the persistent conflict in the Great Lakes region. As the designated African Union mediator for the DRC’s eastern crisis, Gnassingbé continues consultations to foster a peaceful resolution to the decades-long conflict.

« The Congolese envoy commended the Togolese leader for his pivotal role in brokering a sustainable solution to the Great Lakes’ protracted conflicts. As the African Union’s mediator, President Gnassingbé is leading consultations with all stakeholders to achieve a durable peace agreement in eastern DRC and the wider region, » the Council noted in an official statement.

Prior to his Lomé visit, Anzuluni had traveled to Uganda to deliver a message from President Félix Tshisekedi to President Yoweri Museveni. These diplomatic engagements unfold against a backdrop of escalating hostilities in eastern DRC, where the M23 rebellion—allegedly backed by Rwanda according to Kinshasa and multiple international reports—continues its offensive against government forces. The group maintains control over significant portions of North Kivu and South Kivu, while diplomatic initiatives in Washington and Doha struggle to yield tangible progress toward peace.

The meetings also coincide with national debates in the DRC regarding potential constitutional reforms ahead of President Tshisekedi’s term-end, two years from now.

These diplomatic exchanges reflect intensified regional coordination efforts. Kinshasa and Luanda remain in regular contact on bilateral issues and broader peace and security challenges in the Great Lakes. They follow consultations by Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye—current African Union chair—with religious leaders and opposition figures in the DRC.

Another key diplomatic development involved President Tshisekedi’s recent visit to Brazzaville for talks with Congolese counterpart Denis Sassou Nguesso, following Ndayishimiye’s state visit to Kinshasa. Sassou Nguesso continued his consultations by meeting Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo to discuss DRC’s political and institutional landscape.

The Congolese envoy’s visit to Lomé followed a technical session of the semi-annual peace process review held June 7-8, 2026, organized by Faure Gnassingbé as AU mediator. During these meetings, Gnassingbé underscored the need to enhance coherence and coordination among various mediation mechanisms engaged in the peace process. He emphasized the critical importance of sustained collective mobilization to restore stability, peace, and security in eastern DRC.

For the AU mediator, only a unified regional, continental, and international response can consolidate progress and pave the way for enduring peace in the Great Lakes region.

This evaluation session followed a high-level meeting on January 16-17 in Lomé, also initiated by Faure Gnassingbé, to strengthen trust between parties, advance dialogue, and ensure compliance with commitments made by all actors involved in the peace process. The meeting brought together former heads of state, Togo’s Foreign Minister Robert Dussey, representatives from the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC), and international partners.