Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi has co-chaired a joint ministerial meeting between the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) over the ongoing conflict in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a statement posted on his X account on Friday, February 7, 2025, Mudavadi urged the conflicting parties to embrace negotiation and dialogue as key solutions to resolve the crisis.

“I co-chaired the EAC-SADC Ministers’ Meeting on the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC. Our discussions focused on negotiation as a key pathway to ending the prolonged crisis, which continues to displace millions and expose vulnerable groups of women, children, and Persons with Disabilities to severe harm,” Mudavdi wrote.

The high-level meeting, co-chaired with Professor Amon Murwira, expressed concern about the widespread humanitarian issues arising from the conflict, calling for a universal intervention approach.

“Beyond the humanitarian toll, the conflict is evolving into broader threats, including sexual violence as a weapon of war, resource exploitation, and the weakening of state institutions,” Mudavadi said.

The ministerial meeting precedes a crucial summit of Heads of State and Government scheduled for February 8, 2025, where President William Ruto is expected to join other regional leaders to chart a united course for peace in the DRC.

During the February 7, 2025, discussions, both regional blocs committed to joint efforts in conflict resolution and regional stability.

The meeting emphasized the importance of a coordinated approach between EAC and SADC in addressing the security challenges in the region.

“A collective response is crucial. Dialogue remains our strongest tool in forging a sustainable solution, and I urge all stakeholders to embrace it,” Mudavadi said.

The summit’s outcomes are expected to establish a framework for more robust interventions aimed at restoring peace and security in Eastern DRC, where ongoing conflict continues to pose significant humanitarian and security challenges to the region.

Eastern DRC conflict

The violence in the DRC has persisted for over two decades.

It escalated in early 2025 with deadly clashes reported in the eastern city of Goma, North Kivu province, where approximately 900 people were killed and hundreds more displaced.

Eastern DRC is rich in natural resources and has attracted over 120 armed rival groups, including the M23 rebels, who are competing to control minerals such as tin, gold, tantalum, and tungsten, while the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) attempt to suppress the insurgencies.

SADC support

In a statement on February 1, 2025, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit resolved to support the Nairobi peace process led by retired President Uhuru Kenyatta for the Democratic Republic of Congo conflict.

SADC affirmed its backing of both the Nairobi process and the Luanda process, led by Angola’s President, to help end tensions in the eastern part of the DRC.

EAC-SADC summit

Following this announcement by SADC, EAC Chairperson and Kenyan President William Ruto, along with his SADC counterpart, Zimbabwe’s Emmerson Mnangagwa, convened a two-day EAC-SADC meeting taking place in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on February 7-8, 2025.

Speaking ahead of the summit, former President Uhuru Kenyatta expressed his readiness to revive the stalled Nairobi Peace Process in order to address the violence in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Uhuru, in a statement read by his spokesperson Kanze Dena Mararo on February 6, 2025, noted that the peace process he was appointed to facilitate remains a critical framework for dialogue and conflict resolution in the troubled eastern DRC.

The former head of state emphasized that the recent resurgence of hostilities in the region highlights the urgent need for renewed political will, regional cooperation, and sustained support for peace efforts to prevent further deterioration of the security situation in the area.

A highlight of the summit will be the attendance of DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame.

The two heads of state have been engaged in a diplomatic confrontation, with DRC blaming the Rwandan Defence Force (RDF) for supporting M23 fighters, while Rwanda has accused DRC of supporting the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR), which has contributed to the violence affecting the border.