ENTEBBE, Uganda — President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday hosted a high-level delegation of African leaders at State House, Entebbe, in an intensified diplomatic push to resolve the protracted security crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
The meeting brought together a newly consolidated panel of facilitators representing the African Union, the East African Community and the Southern African Development Community. Led by Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the group is tasked with harmonizing previously fragmented peace initiatives into a single, African-led mediation framework.
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The delegation included former presidents Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia, Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana and Catherine Samba-Panza of the Central African Republic.
A Humanitarian Crisis at Uganda’s Doorstep
President Museveni used the summit to highlight the severe humanitarian burden the conflict has placed on neighboring countries. He noted that Uganda currently hosts more than 500,000 Congolese refugees, part of a total refugee population of nearly 2 million people.
“This problem is very well known to us,” Museveni told the facilitators. “Many of these people are members of our own tribes. Those from Congo are the same as those in western and southwestern Uganda.”
The president expressed frustration with the slow pace of international and regional interventions, describing the persistence of the conflict as a “shame” for the continent. He contrasted the current situation with historical fears of Congolese secession, noting that while the threat of national fragmentation has faded, the failure to address underlying grievances remains a primary driver of instability.
Shifting Focus to ‘African Solutions’
The visit comes at a critical juncture as regional powers attempt to merge the “Nairobi Process” and the “Luanda Process”—two distinct diplomatic tracks that have struggled to maintain a lasting ceasefire.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, speaking on behalf of the panel, emphasized that lasting peace requires a diagnosis rooted in African realities rather than “imported” solutions from Western or Middle Eastern capitals.
“Solutions imported from Washington, Doha, Paris or elsewhere may be helpful, but they cannot by themselves provide a complete or lasting solution,” Obasanjo said. “The issue that has brought us together is the challenge of managing diversity within the DRC and the relationship between the DRC and its neighbors.”
Obasanjo added that the panel is working closely with Museveni, citing his long experience in regional mediation, to ensure that the AU-led process remains the primary vehicle for peace.
Security Context and the M23 Factor
The Entebbe talks follow a period of intense military activity in the DRC’s North and South Kivu provinces. In early 2026, the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels briefly seized the strategic city of Uvira before withdrawing under international pressure on Jan. 17. Despite the withdrawal, security analysts warn that the underlying causes of the rebellion remain unaddressed, and the Congolese army continues to face challenges in restoring state authority.
Furthermore, the conflict has been complicated by the presence of other armed groups, including the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which has exploited the security vacuum to expand its operations despite joint military efforts by Uganda and the DRC.
Path Forward
The facilitators are expected to present a formal report on their findings and proposed de-escalation measures during the next Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government later this month.
The meeting in Entebbe was attended by senior Ugandan officials, including former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and Adonia Ayebare, Uganda’s permanent representative to the United Nations.
