Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — On February 8, 2025, leaders from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) convened a joint summit in Dar es Salaam to address the escalating conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The summit concluded with a unified call for an immediate ceasefire and the initiation of direct negotiations involving all parties, including the M23 rebels.
The high-level meeting brought together several heads of state, including Rwandan President Paul Kagame, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Kenyan President William Ruto, and Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni. DRC President Félix Tshisekedi participated via videoconference.
In his address, President Kagame underscored Rwanda’s security concerns arising from the conflict, criticizing what he described as the DRC’s dismissive stance toward Rwanda’s grievances. “DRC cannot just tell us to keep quiet when they are mounting a security problem against our country. Nobody can tell us to shut up,” Kagame declared. He accused the DRC of ignoring Rwanda’s repeated appeals to address security threats along their shared border.
Kagame also called for the summit to move beyond what he termed ineffective diplomatic gatherings. “Let us not just have another meeting like the many we have had. We can’t go on forever massaging problems,” he said. Describing the conflict as an “ethnic war that has been brewing for a long time,” Kagame stressed the need to recognize the rights of affected communities and to pursue concrete solutions. He rejected claims that Rwanda is responsible for the conflict, asserting that the crisis originated within the DRC.
In response to the urgent security situation, the summit directed the EAC and SADC Chiefs of Defence Forces to convene within five days to develop technical guidance for enforcing an immediate and unconditional ceasefire. Their mandate includes facilitating humanitarian assistance and crafting a security plan for Goma and its surrounding areas. The summit also called for the withdrawal of uninvited foreign armed forces from the DRC and emphasized the importance of direct dialogue with all stakeholders to achieve a lasting resolution.
This concerted regional effort highlights the urgency of addressing the deteriorating security landscape in Eastern DRC, where ongoing violence has resulted in significant loss of life and a deepening humanitarian crisis. The international community continues to monitor the situation closely, advocating for peaceful and diplomatic solutions to restore stability to the region.
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