President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday hosted leaders of the African Union–East African Community–Southern African Development Community (AU–EAC–SADC) panel of facilitators assigned to support the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peace process, as regional efforts intensify to address the prolonged conflict in eastern Congo.
The meeting, held at State House Entebbe, convened a high-level delegation chaired by Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé and comprised of former African heads of state mandated to promote dialogue and strengthen regional coordination in pursuit of sustainable peace.
President Museveni noted that the root causes of the DRC conflict are widely understood within the region and warned that the continuing instability poses serious humanitarian and security consequences for neighboring countries, particularly Uganda.
“This problem is very well known to us. We currently have more than 500,000 Congolese refugees in Uganda,” Museveni stated, adding that Uganda hosts nearly two million refugees from across the region.
He further observed that many of the Congolese refugees share ethnic and cultural ties with communities in western and southwestern Uganda, underscoring the broader regional dimensions of the crisis.
Expressing concern over the slow pace of progress toward a lasting resolution, despite the conflict’s long history and clearly identified grievances, Museveni remarked, “It is a shame that it is taking so long to solve.”
Placing the crisis in historical perspective, the President referenced earlier debates about the future of the Congo, including the Katanga secession, but emphasized that the current challenge is no longer territorial in nature.
“What we are dealing with now are grievances,” Museveni explained, asserting that these issues can be resolved through sustained dialogue and a realistic understanding of the situation 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 highly values Museveni’s experience in mediation.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo emphasized that achieving durable peace in eastern DRC requires African-led solutions and cautioned against overreliance on externally driven interventions.
“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 provide support, their role should remain complementary.
“Solutions imported from Washington, Doha, Paris, or elsewhere may be helpful, but they cannot by themselves provide a complete or lasting solution,” he noted.
Obasanjo also stressed the importance of properly diagnosing the root causes of the conflict, including the management of diversity within the DRC and its relationships with neighboring states.
“In order to solve the problem, we must diagnose it properly and administer the right medicine,” he said.
The meeting comes at a time when regional and continental bodies are working to harmonize mediation efforts under the leadership of the African Union, 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 in attendance included Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Adonia Ayebare and former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi.