African Union Appoints Faure Gnassingbé as Mediator for DRC-Rwanda Conflict

Politics

Tuesday, 15 April 2025 13:41

African Union Appoints Faure Gnassingbé as Mediator for DRC-Rwanda Conflict

(Togo First) - The African Union (AU) officially appointed Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé as mediator in the conflict ravaging eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He replaces Angolan President João Lourenço, who withdrew from the mission last month.
The AU confirmed the transition in a press release issued over the weekend.

Togo’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Robert Dussey, relayed the news on April 13, 2025, on X, formerly Twitter.

The AU aims to revive stalled diplomatic efforts in the Great Lakes region, still facing armed clashes, persistent tensions, and a dire humanitarian crisis.

Gnassingbé’s appointment comes amid rising mistrust between Kinshasa and Kigali. The DRC accuses Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel movement, a claim Rwanda denies. Military advances by M23 have worsened the situation, with the group seizing strategic areas near Goma and Bukavu through swift operations that overwhelmed Congolese forces.

Diplomatic attempts to resolve the crisis have so far failed. In late March, Congolese government representatives and M23 leaders met in Doha under Qatar’s mediation to initiate dialogue. This meeting followed a bilateral discussion in Doha between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

The AU appointed Gnassingbé, who has a proven track record in mediation. In recent years, the Togolese leader has played key roles in resolving political crises in West Africa, including negotiations in Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso during disputes with ECOWAS.

However, his task will be daunting. The eastern DRC conflict is driven by complex factors such as ethnic rivalries, economic interests tied to mining resources, foreign interference, and widespread mistrust of Congolese institutions.

This article was initially published in French by Esaïe Edoh

Edited in English by Jason Ange Quenum

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