According to a statement from the Office of the President, the two leaders met at Urugwiro Village, where they exchanged insights on pathways to stability, cooperation, and progress in the region and beyond.
"This afternoon at Urugwiro Village, President Kagame received Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo for a wide-ranging discussion. They discussed the situation in the region, along with various key issues of continental and global significance. The two leaders shared insights on pathways toward stability, cooperation, and progress," the statement reads.
Obasanjo, who currently serves as co-chair of the Panel of Facilitators for the peace process in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), plays a central role in efforts to address the ongoing crisis. He shares the leadership of the panel with former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The panel was formed in March following the merger of the Nairobi and Luanda peace processes. This unified framework seeks to improve coordination among stakeholders and harmonise efforts to resolve the complex conflict affecting the eastern DRC.
In addition to Obasanjo and Kenyatta, the expanded facilitation team includes other former African heads of state: Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa, Catherine Samba-Panza of the Central African Republic, and Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia. The panel is tasked with steering peace talks between the Congolese government and the AFC-M23 rebel group, among other armed factions.
The merged process aims to promote direct dialogue, implement previously agreed measures such as the neutralisation of the FDLR militia linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, and engage a broader range of regional actors to support mediation efforts.
Parallel peace initiatives are also being supported by Qatar and the United States, as part of a wider international push to restore peace and stability in the Great Lakes region.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/president-kagame-holds-talks-with-former-nigerian-leader-obasanjo
