Togolese Prime Minister and African Union mediator Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé hosted Floribert Anzuluni, DRC’s Minister of Regional Integration, for critical discussions on Tuesday in Pya, Kozah Prefecture. The high-level meeting focused on deepening bilateral cooperation between Togo and the Democratic Republic of Congo while addressing the escalating security challenges in eastern DRC and advancing regional mediation efforts.

According to Togo’s Council of Ministers, the talks centered on strengthening peace initiatives in the Great Lakes region, where decades of conflict have left communities vulnerable. The discussions also highlighted the urgent need for sustainable solutions to the ongoing violence driven by the M23 rebellion, which continues to expand its territorial control despite international diplomatic efforts.

“The Congolese envoy expressed gratitude for President Gnassingbé’s leadership in resolving the Great Lakes crisis,” the statement noted. “As the designated African Union mediator, he remains committed to fostering inclusive dialogue among all stakeholders to achieve a lasting peace settlement.”

Before his stop in Lomé, Anzuluni had briefed Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala, underscoring the regional dimensions of the conflict. The meetings follow a recent surge in hostilities in North Kivu and South Kivu, where the M23—allegedly backed by Rwanda according to Kinshasa and multiple international assessments—has intensified its campaign against government forces.

The talks coincide with heightened diplomatic activity across the region. Kinshasa and Luanda have intensified bilateral consultations on peace and security, while Burundi’s President Évariste Ndayishimiye, current African Union chair, recently engaged religious leaders and opposition figures in the DRC to explore consensus-building avenues.

These developments follow President Félix Tshisekedi’s recent visit to Brazzaville to consult with Congolese counterpart Denis Sassou Nguesso, and Ndayishimiye’s state visit to Kinshasa. The momentum builds on the June 7–8 technical review session in Lomé, where Gnassingbé emphasized the need for greater coherence among mediation mechanisms to consolidate peace efforts in eastern DRC.

The June session, part of a broader AU-backed initiative launched in January, brought together former heads of state, regional blocs like the East African Community and Southern African Development Community, and international partners to rebuild trust and advance dialogue. The goal remains clear: a unified, coordinated approach to end the violence and restore stability in the Great Lakes region.