Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé has officially taken on the role of African Union mediator in the long-running conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, the Togolese foreign ministry confirmed on Sunday.
Gnassingbé succeeds Angolan President João Lourenço, who stepped down from the position last month after a largely fruitless tenure since his appointment in 2022.
The mediation effort aims to bring an end to the persistent violence in eastern DR Congo, where the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group has recently captured vast areas of the mineral-rich region during a renewed offensive.
Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey shared a statement from the African Union declaring Gnassingbé’s appointment “as Mediator for the AU engagement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Rwanda in the context of protracted insecurity in the eastern part of the DRC.” The AU later confirmed the statement’s authenticity.
Dussey expressed gratitude for the trust shown in Gnassingbé, stating the Togolese leader is committed to promoting “sustainable peace, reconciliation, and stability” in the Great Lakes region.
Gilbert Bawara, Togo’s minister for public service reform and a close aide to Gnassingbé, praised his leader’s discretion and diplomatic qualities, describing him as someone “known for his ability to listen.”
Despite numerous ceasefire deals since late 2021, the fighting has repeatedly resumed in eastern DR Congo, with previous mediation efforts led by Angola yielding little progress.
Talks involving representatives from DR Congo and the M23 were held in Qatar in March, and Presidents Paul Kagame of Rwanda and Félix Tshisekedi of DR Congo also met in Doha to discuss the crisis.
