Following a lightning onslaught, the rebel forces of M23 movement allegedly backed by Rwanda took control of nearly the whole city of Goma, a vital hub for the trade of minerals in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in late January 2025.

SADC & EAC Appoint Facilitators for Regional Peace Process in Eastern DRC

09:50, 25 February 2025

Ekaterina Shilova

Writer / Editor

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Since January, the M23 rebels have captured significant territories in the provinces of North Kivu and South Kivu, including the cities of Goma and Bukavu. The DRC authorities accuse Rwanda of supporting the M23, a charge Kigali denies.

Sputnik

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) appointed former Kenyan and Nigerian presidents Uhuru Kenyatta and Olusegun Obasanjo, along with former Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn, as facilitators for the regional peace process in eastern DRC.

The appointment follows a recent summit in Dar es Salaam aimed at addressing the ongoing conflict between the M23 rebels and government forces.

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In a joint statement, the blocs urged all parties to respect the ceasefire announced at the EAC-SADC summit. They also called on the M23 and all other actors to halt any further advances in eastern DRC and adhere to the immediate ceasefire.