Astatement from the President Office described the nexus of this meeting. 'This afternoon at Urugwiro Village, President Kagame received President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé of Togo who is serving as the appointed AU mediator in the conflict in Eastern DRC. They discussed the progress of the regional processes towards achieving durable peace in the region,' the statement read
According to the Office of the President of Togo, the visit began on April 21, 2025. 'The Head of State will engage in discussions with his Rwandan counterpart concerning the well-known causes of the war in Eastern DRC, its consequences, and the role various regional leaders are playing to resolve the crisis,' The statement reads.
The statement also emphasized that Togo prioritizes constructive dialogue and reconciliation as a path to achieving a sustainable solution to the conflict affecting the Great Lakes Region.
It further noted that President Gnassingbé reaffirmed his commitment to working with other partners in pursuit of lasting peace between Rwanda and the DRC. 'This will also help strengthen cooperation and improve bilateral relations between the two countries,' it stated.
On March 24, 2025, the Office of the President of Angola announced that President João Lourenço would no longer serve as the mediator in the Rwanda-DRC conflict. Instead, he would focus on broader continental priorities rather than regional affairs.
President Lourenço subsequently presented the candidacy of Faure Gnassingbé to the leadership of the African Union (AU) as his preferred successor for the role of mediator. The AU reviewed the proposal.
In early April 2025, the AU expressed its support for President Lourenço's recommendation that President Gnassingbé take over as mediator in the dialogue between Rwanda and the DRC.
On April 12, 2025, the AU General Assembly officially confirmed President Gnassingbé as the new, permanent mediator tasked with helping Rwanda and the DRC resolve their ongoing tensions.
President Gnassingbé has made several visits to Rwanda in recent years to discuss a range of topics, including security and Pan-African cooperation.
Relations between Rwanda and the DRC have deteriorated in recent years, largely due to the conflict in Eastern DRC. Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the M23/AFC coalition, an allegation Rwanda vehemently denies.
In turn, Rwanda accuses the DRC of supporting and collaborating with the FDLR, a terrorist group composed of remnants of perpetrators of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi and who continue to pose a threat to Rwandan security.
President Gnassingbé's current visit follows another official trip he made to Kigali in January 2025, during which both nations agreed to further strengthen their bilateral cooperation.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/president-faure-gnassingbe-of-togo-visits-rwanda
