The regional leaders convened virtually on January 29, 2025, for the 24th extraordinary summit to address the deteriorating security situation in eastern DRC, which early this week culminated in the capture of Goma, the capital and largest city of the North Kivu Province.
In a post-summit statement, the leaders emphasized that a peaceful settlement is the only viable solution to the ongoing crisis.
"The summit called for a peaceful settlement of the conflicts and strongly urged the government of the DRC to directly engage with all stakeholders, including the M23 and other armed groups that have grievances," the statement read.
Notably absent from the summit was DRC President Félix Tshisekedi, who has previously resisted direct negotiations with M23, labeling them a terrorist group. His absence has raised concerns about Kinshasa's willingness to embrace dialogue, even as pressure mounts for a political resolution to the conflict.
Beyond the push for dialogue, the summit also demanded an immediate ceasefire and unrestricted humanitarian access to affected populations.
"The summit called on all parties to the conflict in eastern DRC to cease hostilities, observe an immediate and unconditional ceasefire, and facilitate humanitarian access to the affected population," the leaders said.
The meeting further condemned recent attacks on diplomatic missions in Kinshasa, urging the Congolese government to ensure the safety of foreign embassies, diplomats, and their staff.
Violent protests were witnessed in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC, on Tuesday as demonstrators targeted multiple foreign missions in response to the fall of Goma to the M23 group fighting for the rights of the minority Tutsi community. The mobs attacked the embassies of Rwanda, the United States, France, South Africa, Uganda, and Kenya.
The security crisis in eastern DRC has drawn increased involvement from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which has deployed regional forces to assist the Congolese military. South Africa, in particular, has sent 2,900 troops as part of a broader effort to combat armed groups, with at least 13 soldiers confirmed dead in recent clashes.
Acknowledging SADC's role, the EAC summit proposed a joint EAC-SADC meeting to coordinate responses.
"The summit decided on a joint EAC-SADC summit to deliberate on the way forward and mandated the chairperson to consult with the chairperson of SADC on the urgent convening of the same in the next few days," the leaders resolved.
Kenyan President William Ruto, who chaired the summit in his capacity as the chair of EAC, has previously argued that a military solution alone will not end the conflict.
"Engagement, dialogue, and consultations are the only viable way out of the situation in DRC," Ruto said earlier this week. "A direct engagement with M23 and all the other stakeholders in the theatre in eastern DRC is a necessity."
The summit was attended by EAC leaders, including Rwanda's President Paul Kagame, Somalia's Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan, Burundi's President Évariste Ndayishimiye, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir Mayardit, and Uganda's President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
