The Togolese prime minister and African Union mediator for the DR Congo-Rwanda conflict, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, met on Tuesday 14 July 2026 in Pya, Kozah prefecture, with the DR Congo’s regional integration minister, Floribert Anzuluni, on a diplomatic mission to Togo.
According to the Togolese Council of Ministers, discussions centered on strengthening cooperation between Kinshasa and Lomé, as well as the security situation in eastern DR Congo and mediation efforts to secure lasting peace in the Great Lakes region, which has faced armed conflicts for more than three decades.
« Mr Floribert Anzuluni expressed gratitude to the prime minister for his personal commitment to finding a durable solution to the conflict affecting the Great Lakes region. President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, designated African Union mediator for resolving the crisis in eastern DR Congo and the Great Lakes, continues consultations with stakeholders to promote a peaceful and lasting resolution,» stated the Togolese Council presidency.
Prior to Lomé, Floribert Anzuluni, envoy of President Félix Tshisekedi, visited Uganda to deliver a message to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni. These meetings occur amid ongoing hostilities in eastern DR Congo, where the M23 rebellion, supported by Rwanda according to Kinshasa and multiple international reports, continues its offensive against government forces. The group maintains control over significant areas in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, while diplomatic initiatives in Washington and Doha struggle to yield lasting conflict resolutions.
These discussions also coincide with national political debates in DR Congo regarding potential constitutional revisions or changes, just two years ahead of President Félix Tshisekedi’s current term.
This diplomatic engagement follows intense regional consultations. Kinshasa and Luanda maintain regular exchanges on bilateral issues and peace and security in the Great Lakes region. They follow consultations led by Burundian President Évariste Ndayishimiye, African Union chair, with religious leaders and opposition figures in DR Congo.
A major diplomatic milestone was President Félix Tshisekedi’s recent visit to Brazzaville to meet his Congolese counterpart, Denis Sassou Nguesso, following a state visit by Évariste Ndayishimiye to Kinshasa. Days later, Denis Sassou Nguesso continued consultations by receiving Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo to discuss DR Congo’s political and institutional situation.
Floribert Anzuluni’s arrival in Lomé follows the technical session of the semi-annual peace process review meeting held on 7-8 June 2026 in Lomé at the initiative of Togolese Prime Minister Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé. During this meeting, Gnassingbé emphasized the need to enhance coherence, complementarity, and coordination among mediation mechanisms working toward peace in the region. He stressed the importance of sustained collective mobilization for stability, peace, and security in eastern DR Congo.
For the African Union mediator, only concerted action by regional, continental, and international actors can consolidate progress and foster lasting peace in the Great Lakes region.
This evaluation session followed the high-level meeting on coherence and consolidation of the peace process in DR Congo, organized in Lomé on 16-17 January. Initiated by Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, Togolese prime minister and principal African Union mediator for eastern DR Congo, these meetings aim to build trust, advance dialogue, and ensure compliance with commitments from involved parties.
The initiative brought together former heads of state, Togolese foreign minister Robert Dussey, representatives from the East African Community and Southern African Development Community, and international partners. It builds on recent diplomatic efforts to stabilize eastern DR Congo.