Why EAC summit on DRC crisis was not for naught

Peaceful settlement of disputes between and amongst nations is a globally established principle that helps to bring convergence on difficult issues while preserving the sovereignty of states.

This is the spirit in which the East African Community leaders led by President William Ruto, Chair of the EAC Summit, convened an emergency meeting on January 29 to find ways to resolve the deteriorating conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The mission of the EAC leaders was not all in vain as averred in a recent Daily Nation commentary, which ignored the painful efforts that peace-loving nations have exerted in trying to resolve the DRC conflict.

Indeed, the EAC leaders have championed peace and security initiatives in other countries including Sudan, South Sudan and Somalia to avert a catastrophic humanitarian crisis that threatens the livelihoods of over 25 million people, including 20 million internally displaced people and 5.6 million refugees who have fled their countries.

The emergency summit was a critical exercise in regional diplomacy and cooperation, anchored on the founding objectives of the EAC Treaty. It further embraced the spirit of the United Nations Charter on peaceful settlement of disputes and the indispensable global norm of the Responsibility to Protect, underlining political commitment to prevent genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

Responsibility

As DRC’s immediate neighbours, the EAC countries have the greatest responsibility to mediate and bring the warring parties to the table. Embracing dialogue, rather than guns, will ultimately foster peace and security in the region, enabling the EAC economies to support each other in mutually beneficial initiatives, including promoting regional trade and investment.

This approach reinforces the shared conviction that peace and stability in the DRC, and indeed other countries in the region, is essential for the socio-economic development and shared prosperity of the entire Eastern Africa region.

Kenya has a long history of successful diplomatic engagements to resolve conflicts across Africa. These peace processes demonstrate that sustainable peace is a product of persistent negotiations, often times complex and painful, rather than a one-off or isolated event.

This commitment to dialogue for peacebuilding is reinforced by Kenya’s new Foreign Policy, the first in a decade, that was launched in December 2024. Having a robust policy enables Kenya to constructively engage with the international community while ensuring that Kenyans benefit from such initiatives.

The noble duty for Kenya, guided by the new Foreign Policy, is to continue engaging with all parties to the conflict in the DRC and other countries in the region, until peace, security and stability are restored.

This mediation process is not an "instant coffee" event but deep and thoughtful engagement aimed at securing peace for the over 300 million people of the EAC, to live in harmony and chart their pathway to growth and shared prosperity.

Peter Warutere is the Secretary, Strategic Communication, Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary and Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs