President William Ruto on Friday, February 21, 2025, had a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 

In the talks, the two conversed on the ongoing conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo where they reaffirmed their commitment to push for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

They also mutually called for an immediate ceasefire emphasizing that there was no military solution to the conflict. 

The call comes as part of Ruto’s sustained d efforts to quell the conflict in Congo.

He recently call on all parties involved in the conflict to cease hostilities and embrace dialogue. 

The head of state who is the chairman of the the East African (EAC), also urged the EAC and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to stand in solidarity in calling for a peaceful resolution to the crisis. 

“Today, we join together to reiterate our calls to the parties to this tragic conflict to immediately cease hostilities and take positive actions to allow meaningful dialogue aimed at the restoration of stability,” he said.

He additionally underscored that the crisis gripping the Eastern DRC is due to a concotion of multiple issues including political, economical and historical.

“There is also a clandestine international dimension at work whose persistent, cynical and destructive effects must neither be underestimated nor ignored any longer,” Ruto said on February 8, 2025.

Further, the president noted that the conflict could not be resolved through military means, calling on the DRC armed forced to refrain from engaging in retaliatory attacks.

“An immediate ceasefire is the onloy way by which we can create necessary conditions for constructive dialogue and implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement,” he added.

“The security of the DRC is essential not only to the stability of the country, but also to the prosperity and cohesion of the entire EAC and SADC.”