President Museveni on Tuesday met leaders of the African Union-East African Community-Southern African Development Community (AU-EAC-SADC) panel of facilitators tasked with supporting the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peace process, as regional leaders intensify efforts to resolve the long-running conflict in eastern Congo.
The meeting at State House Entebbe brought together a high-level delegation chaired by Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé and composed of former African heads of state mandated to support dialogue and strengthen regional coordination toward sustainable peace.
President Museveni said the root causes of the DRC conflict are well understood in the region and warned that continued instability carries serious humanitarian consequences for neighbouring countries, particularly Uganda.
“This problem is very well known to us. We currently have more than 500,000 Congolese refugees in Uganda,” Museveni said, noting that Uganda hosts nearly two million refugees from across the region.
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He added that many Congolese refugees share ethnic and cultural ties with communities in western and south-western Uganda, highlighting the regional dimensions of the crisis.
Museveni expressed concern over the slow progress toward a lasting solution despite the conflict’s long history and clearly identified grievances.
“It is a shame that it is taking so long to solve,” he said.
Placing the crisis in historical context, the President recalled earlier debates over the future of the Congo, including the Katanga secession, but said the current challenge is no longer territorial.
“What we are dealing with now are grievances,” Museveni said, arguing that these can be resolved through sustained dialogue and a clear understanding of realities on the ground.
President Gnassingbé thanked Museveni for hosting the delegation and commended Uganda’s continued commitment to regional peace and stability, noting that the panel values Museveni’s experience in mediation.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo emphasized that durable peace in eastern DRC requires African-led solutions and cautioned against over-reliance on externally driven approaches.
“This crisis is not only about the M23. There are many grievances that have not been adequately addressed,” Obasanjo said.
He added that while international partners can support the process, they should play a complementary role.
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“Solutions imported from Washington, Doha, Paris, or elsewhere may be helpful, but they cannot by themselves provide a complete or lasting solution,” he said.
Obasanjo also stressed the importance of correctly diagnosing the root causes of the conflict, including the management of diversity within the DRC and its relations with neighbouring countries.
“In order to solve the problem, we must diagnose it properly and administer the right medicine,” he said.
The meeting comes as regional and continental bodies work to align mediation initiatives under African Union leadership, including the establishment of a joint coordination headquarters in Addis Ababa.
The delegation included former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, and former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza.
Ugandan officials present included Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Adonia Ayebare and former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi.