Gnassingbé was received on arrival by Rwanda's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, according to a statement shared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on X.
In April 2025, President Paul Kagame hosted Gnassingbé shortly after the African Union (AU) appointed Gnassingbé as mediator in efforts to address the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
That visit aimed to reaffirm Gnassingbé's commitment to working with regional and international partners to find a lasting solution to tensions between Rwanda and the DRC. Discussions focused on progress made in regional peace talks intended to achieve sustainable stability.
On March 24, 2025, the Office of the President of Angola announced that President João Lourenço would step down from his role as mediator in the Rwandaâ€"DRC talks, choosing instead to focus on broader continental initiatives.
President Lourenço subsequently submitted Gnassingbé's candidacy to the African Union. In early April 2025, the AU endorsed the proposal, and on April 12, 2025, the AU General Assembly formally appointed Gnassingbé as mediator between Rwanda and the DRC.
Over the years, Gnassingbé has made several visits to Rwanda, with discussions covering issues including security cooperation and broader African partnerships. In January 2025, he paid a two-day working visit to Kigali, during which he and President Kagame agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between Rwanda and Togo.
Relations between Rwanda and the DRC have strained in recent years due to ongoing conflict in eastern DRC. Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting the AFC/M23 coalition, claims Rwanda strongly denies, instead accusing the DRC of failing to protect its civilians and of collaborating with armed groups responsible for abuses.
Rwanda, in turn, accuses the DRC of supporting and working with the FDLR, a terrorist group composed of individuals responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, which Rwanda says continues to threaten its security.
IGIHE
