AU Nominates Togo’s President for Mediator Between DRC, Rwanda and M23 Rebels

African Union (AU) Chairperson Joao Lourenco nominated Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbe to act as the body’s peace mediator between the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and M23 rebels, his office said Saturday.

Preliminary consultations with Gnassingbe yielded a positive response, contingent on the formal concurrence of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, Lourenco told the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union during a virtual meeting in Angola.

Lourenco, who is the Angolan president, “underscored the grave and deteriorating humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, drawing attention to the immense suffering of civilians and its destabilizing impact on regional peace.”

“The proposal was endorsed by the Assembly Bureau Members,” it said.

Lourenco announced a decision to end his mediation role last month, saying he wanted to concentrate on the work of the AU.

The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, expressed gratitude and appreciation to Lourenco for his dedication to advancing peace in the region.

He affirmed the need for a detailed roadmap to guide the mediation process forward, adding that the Commission will follow the procedure to endorse the nomination of the Togolese president.

Once endorsed, Gnassingbe will work with a panel of five facilitators recently appointed by the Heads of State of the Southern African Development Community and the East African Community blocs, including former presidents Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Kgalema Motlanthe of South Africa, Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia and Central African Republic’s Catherine Samba-Panza.

Last week, the M23 rebel group, which is at the center of the conflict in eastern Congo, announced it had implemented its decision to pull its forces from the strategic mining town of Walikale and surrounding areas in North Kivu province — to support peace initiatives aimed at fostering conditions conducive to political dialogue.

Congo and others accuse neighboring Rwanda of backing the M23 rebels. Rwanda, however, denies the allegations.