SADC and EAC Hold Extraordinary Summit On DR Congo War

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the East African Community (EAC) have held an extraordinary virtual summit for their subregional leaders to further deliberate and find solution to the conflict in DR Congo.

Participating in the summit held on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, were the President of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, the President of Zimbabwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, the President of Kenya, William Ruto, as well as regional security leaders.

According to President Hichilema who shared details of the summit in a post on his official Facebook page, their “goal was clear: to strengthen our collective efforts to end the conflict in eastern DRC.”

Co-chaired by President William Ruto of Kenya and President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe, Mr. Hichilema said the summit appointed Dr. Mokgweetsi Masisi, former President of Botswana, as one of five facilitators to help guide the peace process.

He says “We welcome this unity. Africans coming together to find African solutions. Bringing the Nairobi and Luanda processes under the leadership of the African Union Commission is a big step toward speaking with one voice and, we hope, achieving lasting peace in eastern DRC.”

Speaking on the need to bring an end to the DR Congo conflict to ensure peace in the region, President Hichilema said: “Conflict anywhere threatens peace everywhere, making it our shared responsibility to work for peace across our continent.”

He opined that “Without peace and security, there can be no lasting development — and with peace, Africa can achieve more.”