President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni met a high-level delegation from the AU–EAC–SADC Panel of Facilitators for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) peace process at State House, Entebbe, on 3 February 2026. The meeting was part of stronger regional efforts to promote dialogue, reduce tensions, and support lasting peace in eastern DRC, where conflict has continued for many years.
The panel, which was on a working visit to Uganda, is chaired by Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, President of Togo and the African Union mediator for the eastern DRC crisis. The team includes former African leaders: Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya, Sahle-Work Zewde of Ethiopia, Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi of Botswana, and Catherine Samba-Panza of the Central African Republic. Their role is to support regional dialogue, bring together different peace efforts such as the Nairobi and Luanda processes, and promote African-led solutions to the conflict.
During the meeting, President Museveni said countries in the Great Lakes region understand the DRC conflict very well and see its human cost every day. He noted that Uganda hosts over 500,000 Congolese refugees, who are part of nearly two million refugees from the region living in the country. He added that communities in eastern DRC share ethnic and cultural ties with people in western and southwestern Uganda, which makes the crisis a shared regional concern. He said it was disappointing that the conflict has taken so long to resolve despite the issues being well known.
Museveni also spoke about the history of the conflict, recalling earlier debates over Congo’s territorial unity, such as the Katanga secession. He said the focus today should be on addressing the root causes through continuous dialogue and a clear understanding of local realities. He welcomed the panel and thanked its members for their commitment to regional peace.
President Gnassingbe thanked Uganda for hosting the meeting and praised the country’s long-standing role in promoting peace in the region. He said President Museveni’s experience in mediation was valuable in guiding efforts to resolve complex conflicts.
Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo stressed that lasting peace must be built on African realities. He said the crisis involves many grievances, not only the M23 issue, and warned that solutions from outside Africa alone cannot solve the problem. He supported international help but said African leadership must remain central. He also said it is important to clearly understand the root causes, such as how diversity is managed within the DRC and relations with neighboring countries, in order to apply the right solutions.
The meeting is part of wider African Union efforts to lead the peace process, including plans for a joint headquarters in Addis Ababa ahead of the February 2026 AU Summit. Ugandan ministers, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, and former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi also attended. The talks show renewed regional commitment to dialogue, de-escalation, and lasting peace for the people affected by the conflict.
