Former President Uhuru Kenyatta has joined African Union (AU)-led consultations with the Alliance Fleuve Congo/March 23 Movement (AFC/M23) in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), as efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in eastern DRC continue.
Kenyatta was part of the AU Panel of Facilitators delegation that held talks in Goma on October 5 with AFC/M23 representatives and officials from the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the UN humanitarian coordination office, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus.
The delegation was led by former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde and also included former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
The consultations were held as part of the AU’s mediation efforts to support the eastern DRC peace process.
The facilitators used the meetings to gather views on the security and humanitarian situation and discuss measures that could help rebuild confidence among parties involved in the conflict.
Following the consultations, the AU Panel urged all parties to honour their ceasefire commitments and continue engaging through the Doha peace process in good faith.
The Panel also called for cooperation with mechanisms responsible for monitoring and verifying the ceasefire, while warning against actions that could weaken ongoing diplomatic efforts.
Civilian protection was another major concern raised by the facilitators. The Panel called for greater protection of civilians, particularly women and girls, and urged steps to prevent sexual and gender-based violence.
It further called for those responsible for violations to be held accountable and for humanitarian organisations to be given safe and unrestricted access to communities affected by the conflict.
The AU facilitators also stressed the need to protect essential services and schools as fighting and instability continue to affect communities in eastern DRC.
The Panel reaffirmed the importance of protecting the sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo, saying commitments made through the peace process must result in tangible improvements for affected communities.
The outcomes of the Goma consultations will be presented to the AU Mediator and the DRC government as the Panel continues its engagement with stakeholders.
The facilitators said their next efforts will focus on strengthening civilian protection, building confidence between the parties and supporting progress towards a lasting political settlement.
