An African Union mediation delegation on Monday, October 5, met the leadership of the AFC/M23 movement in Goma amid continued efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in eastern DR Congo.
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The delegation, comprising former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, was received by AFC/M23 Political Coordinator Corneille Nangaa, his deputies Bertrand Bisimwa and Fred Kaniki, among other rebel officials.
The meeting was part of consultations under the Doha peace process, which brings together the AFC/M23 and the Congolese government to address the root causes of the conflict in eastern DR Congo, as well as the Washington peace process which brings together Rwanda and DR Congo.
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The joint mission also included Yackoley Kokou Johnson, Ministerial Delegate to the Togolese Foreign Minister and representative of the African Union mediator, and Dr Akok Madut, head of the Mediation and Dialogue Division at the AU Commission.
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In a statement after the meeting, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka said the delegation’s visit was part of efforts towards “a political, sustainable, and African resolution to the war imposed by the Kinshasa regime.”
He said the mission came at a time when the government coalition “continues to violate the ceasefire, while its attacks target civilian populations further exacerbate an already concerning humanitarian situation.”
“Constructive consultations are currently underway in Goma,” Kanyuka added.
The consultations form part of the broader African Union role in the peace process.
The AU Panel of Facilitators comprises five former heads of state, including former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who were not part of Monday’s mission to Goma.
Under the Doha peace process initiated in 2025, the AU mediation is tasked with facilitating direct dialogue between the AFC/M23 and the Congolese government and supporting the ceasefire.
The AU oversees the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism, which brings together the Congolese government, the AFC/M23 and international partners.
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The mechanism has unrestricted access to both sides of the frontline to investigate suspected violations and prepare weekly reports. Suspected violations are forwarded to the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM ), while international observers, including Qatar and the United States, may join verification missions to help ensure credibility and neutrality.
The Doha process is complementary to the Washington Peace Agreement signed on June 27, 2025, between Rwanda and DR Congo. While the Doha process focuses on the internal Congolese track involving the AFC/M23, the Washington process addresses the grievances between Rwanda and DR Congo.
The African Union is also a guarantor of the Washington process, which provides for the neutralisation of the Kinshasa-backed FDLR militia and the lifting of Rwanda’s defensive measures. Its implementation is overseen by a Joint Oversight Committee that includes the African Union Facilitator, Qatar and the United States.
The AU facilitators are also expected to visit countries in the region as part of the efforts to resolve conflict in eastern DR Congo.
