A historic Joint Summit of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) took place on February 8 in Dar es Salaam, co-chaired by Zimbabwean President Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and Kenyan President Dr. William Samoei Ruto. The summit focused on addressing the escalating security crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The meeting has sparked renewed hope for lasting peace in Eastern DRC, a region that has endured prolonged conflict.
In a decisive move, the leaders appointed former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn as facilitators of a merged EAC-SADC peace process, integrating the Luanda and Nairobi initiatives.
EAC and SADC appoint ex-Presidents Uhuru Kenyatta, Olusegun Obasanjo and Hailemariam Desalegn to lead peace efforts in eastern DRC, merging the Nairobi and Luanda processes.
Regional defence chiefs have been meeting to evaluate security conditions, with further discussions… pic.twitter.com/nwFLJS8oDs— Cyprian, Is Nyakundi (@C_NyaKundiH) February 24, 2025Did you read this?
Their mandate is to steer dialogue and restore stability in the volatile region.
Following the summit, preparatory meetings of EAC Chiefs of Defense Forces (CDFs) in Nairobi on February 21, alongside SADC CDFs in Dar es Salaam, laid the groundwork for a coordinated response.
Guided by six directives—including an immediate ceasefire, humanitarian aid provision, and reopening key supply routes like Goma Airport—these discussions underscored a unified resolve to halt hostilities.
On February 24, a joint EAC-SADC CDFs meeting in Dar es Salaam is set to finalize ceasefire details ahead of a ministerial meeting on February 28.
The summit has called on all parties, including the M23 rebel group, to cease advancements and adhere to the ceasefire, emphasizing the urgency of de-escalation.
