African mediators are intensifying efforts to bring lasting peace to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) by adopting a new strategic framework for the second half of 2026. The announcement follows a two-day high-level meeting in Lomé, Togo, chaired by Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, the African Union mediator for the DRC crisis and the Great Lakes region.

The June 7-8 gathering brought together key stakeholders including members of the African Union facilitators’ panel, representatives from the United Nations, the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).