By Spy Uganda
Leaders from the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have gathered in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to address the ongoing conflict in the Great Lakes region, particularly focusing on the situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The summit brings together ministers and heads of state from the 16 nations of SADC and the 8 members of the EAC, who are working to revive stalled peace processes from the Luanda and Nairobi initiatives.
Tanzania and the DRC, the only countries that belong to both blocs, are central to these mediation efforts. A key objective of the summit is to reinstate direct dialogue between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, as their strained relationship is seen as a major obstacle to resolving the ongoing tensions. However, a significant issue remains the absence of the M23 rebel group from the talks.
The M23 group has been a central player in the ongoing conflict in the DRC. Originating in 2012, the group’s name comes from the March 23, 2009, peace agreement, which it claims was violated by the DRC government.
Initially composed of Tutsi soldiers, many of whom were former members of the Rwandan-backed National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), M23 has long been accused of destabilizing the eastern DRC. The group resurfaced in 2021 and has since made significant territorial gains, including the recent capture of Goma, a key city in the North Kivu province.
The M23’s resurgence has been linked to tensions between the DRC and Rwanda, with accusations that Rwanda has provided military support to the group, although Rwanda denies these claims. The conflict has led to devastating humanitarian consequences, including over 3,000 deaths and the displacement of more than a million people, with civilians bearing the brunt of the violence and destruction.
SADC Chairperson, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has emphasized the importance of engaging with M23 to make any meaningful progress in the peace efforts. However, the group’s exclusion from the summit raises doubts about the effectiveness of the talks in reaching a lasting resolution.
As the situation worsens, with deteriorating infrastructure and increasingly dire humanitarian conditions, the summit’s ability to produce tangible solutions remains uncertain. The ongoing fighting, combined with the complex regional dynamics, has left the future of peace in the Great Lakes region hanging in the balance.
