The meeting, held at Urugwiro Village, centered on the importance of supporting ongoing regional processes and strengthening efforts to address the root causes of conflict.
According to a statement from the president's office, the two officials underscored the need for coordinated, evidence-based strategies that prioritize sustainable peace over short-term fixes.
"They discussed the importance of supporting ongoing regional processes and the need for fact-based, coordinated efforts that address the root causes of the conflict and prioritize achieving lasting peace in the region," the statement reads in part.
The meeting coincides with ongoing efforts to resolve the conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where recent battles between the M23 rebel group and government forces culminated in the takeover of strategic towns, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu.
In pursuit of a solution to the insecurity in eastern DRC, Heads of State from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) resolved to merge the Luanda and Nairobi peace processes during an extraordinary summit held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on February 8.
In a subsequent meeting held on March 24, the Heads of State appointed five former presidents to facilitate the peace talks. Those named to the expanded mediation team are Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa, Catherine Samba-Panza of the Central African Republic, and Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia.
Meanwhile, direct talks between the Kinshasa administration and the M23 rebels are scheduled to take place in Qatar on April 9.
Qatar extended the invitation shortly after a March 18 meeting hosted by the Emir of Qatar, which brought together Rwandan President Paul Kagame and DRC President Félix Tshisekedi. The discussions focused on de-escalating tensions between the two countries, fueled by the presence of the FDLR militia group in the DRCâ€"a group responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwandaâ€"and the DRC's accusation that Rwanda supports the M23 rebels, claims that Rwanda has repeatedly denied.
Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs later announced that Presidents Kagame, Tshisekedi, and Sheikh Tamim had reaffirmed their commitment to cease hostilities in eastern DRC, in line with resolutions adopted by African leaders.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
