By Aldridge Dzvene
In a rare and powerful display of continental unity, Africa’s commitment to peace found fresh momentum this Friday in Nairobi, where the Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and President of Zimbabwe, His Excellency Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, met with the Chairperson of the Eastern African Community (EAC) and President of Kenya, His Excellency Dr William Ruto, at the Nairobi State House. The high-level summit brought together two of Africa’s most influential regional blocs in an unprecedented effort to coordinate a sustainable, African-led solution to the enduring conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The joint SADC-EAC engagement comes at a time when the humanitarian and security crisis in Eastern DRC has reached a critical point. Millions of Congolese citizens have been displaced over the past decade due to recurring clashes linked to power struggles and natural resource control. The situation, once considered a domestic issue, has now evolved into a broader continental challenge, one that demands unified, strategic, and sustained African responses.
President Mnangagwa, in his remarks, emphasized the urgency of the joint effort, expressing optimism that the collaboration between SADC, EAC, the African Union and a carefully selected panel of facilitators will deliver tangible peace, reconciliation and stability in the region. The President praised the facilitators, former leaders with deep experience in conflict resolution and governance, for accepting the mandate to lead the peace implementation process, stressing that their collective wisdom and diplomatic stature will be instrumental in guiding Eastern DRC towards a new chapter of peace.
The distinguished panel includes former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza, former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, and former Botswana President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi. These statespersons were formally given their mandate and terms of reference during the summit, a symbolic and strategic act signaling that Africa’s peace efforts are transitioning from consultation to coordinated execution.
President Ruto echoed this sentiment, noting that the meeting was not only to empower the facilitators but also to map out the complex landscape of the conflict’s root causes. He underscored the reality that the unrest in Eastern DRC is no longer an isolated issue, it represents a regional security threat with implications across the entire African continent. His call to action was clear: peace in DRC must be treated as a collective responsibility.
What makes this summit especially significant is its shift in narrative. No longer are African states waiting for international actors to impose solutions. This summit marks a continental pivot towards ownership, accountability and confidence in Africa’s ability to solve its own problems through regional cooperation, wisdom of elders and institutional alignment. It is a bold statement that African sovereignty does not mean isolation, but rather collaboration, guided by respect for shared borders and mutual aspirations.
As the facilitators now prepare to begin their delicate mission, what emerges from this summit is more than a peace process, it is a new model of African diplomacy. The SADC-EAC initiative lays a framework that could be replicated across the continent in dealing with conflict, demonstrating that when Africa unites, it not only speaks louder, but acts more effectively.
This high-level engagement, convened under the mandates of Presidents Mnangagwa and Ruto, represents a pivotal moment for African peacebuilding. It lays a new foundation for coordinated, durable solutions in the DRC, while strengthening the capacity of African institutions to address complex crises with their own expertise, courage and commitment.
In a world that often underestimates Africa’s ability to lead, the Nairobi summit tells a different story, one of confidence, clarity and shared responsibility. The road ahead for the DRC remains challenging, but with this new chapter of unity and resolve, Africa has reaffirmed its place not only as a continent of potential, but as one of purpose and principled leadership
