Motlanthe Chosen as One of the Mediators in DRC Peace Talks

(The Post News)– Former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe, together with four other prominent individuals, has been chosen to be part of a recently formed panel tasked with mediating peace negotiations to end the current bloodshed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Prominent former African presidents make up the group, which was unveiled on March 24, 2025, during a virtual summit co-chaired by Presidents William Ruto of Kenya and Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe. Motlanthe is joined on the panel by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba Panza, and former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde.

The East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are working together on the project, and they have pledged to carry out a comprehensive peace roadmap in the region. This roadmap describes short-, medium-, and long-term steps to stabilise the eastern DRC. It was created after a previous ministerial summit in Harare.

The panel’s makeup reflects a dedication to gender inclusivity and geographic diversity, and the recently appointed facilitators have decades of expertise in diplomacy and conflict resolution. Engaging with important parties, collaborating with international organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the African Union (AU), and supervising the execution of peace efforts are all part of their role. To guarantee agreement on strategy and goals, a joint briefing involving representatives from SADC, EAC, and the AU is planned for the upcoming week.

The panel’s nomination signifies a renewed regional commitment to using discussion to resolve the longstanding instability in the eastern DRC, which has been made worse by numerous rebel groups. The leaders of the conference underlined how urgent these initiatives were and that only through dialogue and collaboration could a permanent peace be attained.

Meanwhile, the DRC government has reiterated its stance that peace in the eastern part of the country can only be achieved through negotiations. The announcement follows Rwanda’s acknowledgment that the DRC government has decided to halt all offensive operations in the region. Rwanda has praised the M23 rebel group’s pledge to move its fighters from Walikale in support of continuing peace efforts as a gesture of goodwill.

“It is impossible to be in Africa without peace; we require peace, and it’s moving in the right way,” said Félix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, emphasising the need for peace for the future of his nation.