The Togolese capital, Lomé, hosted a critical strategic summit on June 7 and 8, 2026, addressing the persistent crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Key regional mediation bodies convened, including representatives from the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the East African Community (EAC), and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (CIRGL). Emissaries from the African Union (AU) and the United Nations (UN) also participated. The primary objective was to assess the cohesion of ongoing diplomatic initiatives and gauge the remaining distance to a lasting resolution among the warring factions.
Lomé: a hub for fragmented regional peace efforts
Togo’s selection as the meeting point was deliberate. Faure Gnassingbé, the African Union’s designated facilitator for the Congolese issue, has been working for months to unify various parallel initiatives that have often diverged rather than converged. The Nairobi process, led by the EAC, and the Luanda process, conducted under the AU’s auspices and previously spearheaded by Angolan President João Lourenço, have progressed independently. Despite efforts since 2024 to merge these diplomatic paths, tangible results on the ground remain elusive.
Diplomats in Lomé acknowledged that effective coordination remains the primary weakness in the ongoing peace endeavors. Several participants emphasized the critical need to streamline dialogue channels, preventing belligerents from exploiting one mediation effort against another. This fragmentation has historically benefited armed groups, notably the March 23 Movement (M23), whose military advancements across Nord-Kivu and Sud-Kivu have significantly altered the region’s security landscape.
Navigating tensions: Kinshasa, Kigali, and the M23
The diplomatic strides discussed during the Lomé gathering proved modest when measured against expectations. Direct talks between Kinshasa and the M23, previously resisted by Congolese authorities, eventually commenced under sustained pressure from both regional mediators and international partners. Concurrently, the bilateral aspect between the DRC and Rwanda — with Rwanda facing accusations from the UN and several Western chanceries of backing the rebel movement — continues to be the most intricate political challenge to resolve.
Mediators underscored the alarming delay in fulfilling prior commitments, particularly the withdrawal of foreign forces from Congolese territory and the cantonment of various armed groups. The deployment of the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC), which suffered significant casualties in early 2025, highlighted the inherent limitations of regional military interventions against a conflict deeply rooted in economic, land, and identity issues that extend far beyond mere security concerns.
War economy complicates path to sustainable peace
Beyond the political complexities, participants emphasized the urgent need to disrupt illicit mineral exploitation networks in Kivu. Resources such as coltan, tin, gold, and tungsten fuel a pervasive war economy, with its tentacles reaching global supply chains. Several mediators advocated for a regional traceability mechanism, deeming it an essential prerequisite for any lasting de-escalation of the conflict.
While the Lomé meeting did not yield dramatic announcements, it successfully reaffirmed the principle of an integrated approach to peace. Future phases are expected to more closely involve Congolese civil society actors, who have often been marginalized in processes primarily driven by heads of state and diplomatic missions. Civil society groups in Nord-Kivu and Sud-Kivu, alongside customary authorities, are now recognized as crucial conduits for embedding any potential agreement within the tangible realities of these beleaguered territories.
Nevertheless, the mediators departed the Togolese capital without establishing a firm timeline for a comprehensive agreement. The coming weeks will reveal whether the diplomatic momentum generated in Lomé can alter the trajectory of a conflict that has, for over three decades, consistently challenged every peace architecture constructed around the Great Lakes region.
