AU Mediators Engage AFC/M23 Leadership in Goma for Peace Talks

On Monday, October 5, an African Union mediation team met with AFC/M23 leaders in Goma as part of ongoing efforts to secure a political settlement to the eastern DR Congo conflict.

The delegation, which included former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, was welcomed by AFC/M23 Political Coordinator Corneille Nangaa, along with his deputies Bertrand Bisimwa and Fred Kaniki and other rebel officials.

The talks formed part of the Doha peace process consultations, which aim to bring the AFC/M23 and the Congolese government together to tackle the root causes of the eastern DR Congo conflict, complementing the Washington peace process that engages Rwanda and DR Congo.

The mission also featured Yackoley Kokou Johnson, the Togolese Foreign Minister’s delegate and AU mediator representative, and Dr Akok Madut, who heads the Mediation and Dialogue Division at the AU Commission.

Following the meeting, AFC/M23 spokesperson Lawrence Kanyuka stated that the visit was intended to advance “a political, sustainable, and African-led solution to the war imposed by the Kinshasa administration.”

He noted that the mission occurred while the government coalition allegedly continues to breach the ceasefire, launching attacks on civilians that worsen an already dire humanitarian situation.

“Constructive consultations are currently underway in Goma,” Kanyuka added.

These consultations are part of the African Union’s wider involvement in the peace process.

The AU Panel of Facilitators consists of five former heads of state, among them former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, neither of whom participated in Monday’s Goma mission.

Under the Doha peace process launched in 2025, the AU mediation is charged with facilitating direct talks between the AFC/M23 and the Congolese government and upholding the ceasefire.

The AU also supervises the Ceasefire Oversight and Verification Mechanism, which includes the Congolese government, the AFC/M23 and international partners.

The mechanism enjoys unrestricted access to both sides of the frontline to investigate alleged violations and compile weekly reports. Suspected violations are referred to the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM), and international observers from Qatar and the United States can participate in verification missions to bolster credibility and neutrality.

The Doha process complements the Washington Peace Agreement signed on June 27, 2025, between Rwanda and the DRC. While Doha concentrates on the internal Congolese track with the AFC/M23, Washington tackles the disputes between Rwanda and the DRC.

The African Union also acts as a guarantor of the Washington process, which calls for the neutralisation of the Kinshasa‑aligned FDLR militia and the removal of Rwanda’s defensive measures. Implementation is supervised by a Joint Oversight Committee comprising the AU Facilitator, Qatar and the United States.

AU facilitators are also slated to visit regional nations as part of the broader effort to settle the conflict in eastern DR Congo.

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