Retired President and East African Community (EAC) peace facilitator Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, received a report outlining proposed engagement strategies for armed groups in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), marking the conclusion of a key Process Design Meeting held at his Ichaweri residence in Gatundu, Kiambu County.

The report focused on actor mapping and entry options for engaging armed groups operating in conflict-affected areas of eastern DRC. Kenyatta, who serves as Facilitator of the EAC-led Nairobi Peace Process and AU-Kenya Peace Envoy, thanked participants for what his office described as fruitful deliberations.

“The Process Design Meeting for the Eastern DRC Peace Process concluded at Ichaweri, Gatundu, Kiambu County. Report submitted: actor mapping + entry options for Facilitator H.E. Kenyatta. He received the report & thanked the team for fruitful deliberations, underscoring the importance of collective expertise in advancing peace in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu,” read the X post in part.

According to a statement from the Office of the Fourth President, the meeting concluded after several days of consultations aimed at supporting ongoing regional peace efforts.

During the meeting, participants submitted a detailed report on actor mapping and analysis, recommending entry options for Facilitator Kenyatta to guide future engagement with armed groups in eastern DRC.

The report drew on lessons and experiences from the Nairobi Peace Process and other ongoing regional initiatives, providing proposals on how dialogue efforts could be structured, sequenced and coordinated to support broader peacebuilding, security and stabilization efforts in the conflict-affected region.

Engagement framework

The discussions followed a three-day technical session that began on June 22 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Nairobi. The forum brought together representatives from the African Union (AU), East African Community (EAC), Southern African Development Community (SADC), the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO), and the Office of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region.

Peace and security experts also participated in the consultations, which focused on developing a framework for future engagement with armed groups in eastern DRC.

Participants examined issues relating to the scope of engagement, safeguards, sequencing criteria and possible approaches to dialogue. The deliberations also considered pathways for disarmament and broader peacebuilding initiatives in Ituri, North Kivu and South Kivu provinces.

The final session was chaired by Kenyatta, during which recommendations were reviewed and proposals submitted for consideration in the next phase of the process.

Regional efforts continue to gain momentum

The latest meeting forms part of wider regional initiatives aimed at addressing insecurity in eastern DRC, where armed conflicts have persisted for years, resulting in displacement, humanitarian challenges and instability.

In February 2026, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni hosted Kenyatta and other facilitators involved in the peace process. The facilitation team includes former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi, former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba-Panza and Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé.

The facilitators had also met in Lomé, Togo, in January 2026 to coordinate regional peace efforts and review progress on ongoing initiatives.

The current process builds on previous diplomatic engagements, including agreements reached in December 2025 between Rwanda and the DRC on ceasefire implementation, disarmament measures, refugee returns and economic cooperation.

The Nairobi Peace Process remains one of the key regional mechanisms seeking to promote dialogue and stability in eastern DRC through coordinated engagement among governments, regional organisations and international partners.