Regional Leaders Convene in Entebbe for Summit on Eastern DRC Crisis
ENTEBBE, UGANDA – In a concerted effort to address escalating violence in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni hosted an Ad-Hoc Summit on the Security Situation in the Eastern DRC and the Region on Sunday. The high-level meeting brought together delegates from across the Great Lakes region and beyond.
Held at the State House in Entebbe, the summit focused primarily on the volatile provinces of North and South Kivu, where recent clashes involving the M23 rebel group have exacerbated a decades-long crisis. The talks follow the rebels’ recent seizure and partial withdrawal from the strategic town of Uvira, a move occurring amidst Qatari-mediated negotiation efforts.
President Museveni chaired the discussions, which included participation from Rwanda, the DRC, Burundi, South Africa, and Angola, among others. The agenda centered on strengthening regional collaboration to achieve lasting peace and stability. Delegates aligned their discussions with existing international frameworks, including U.S.-brokered ceasefire initiatives and the extended mandate of UN peacekeeping operations in the DRC through 2026.
“I am encouraged by the discussions and the strong commitment of participating countries to collaborate for lasting peace and stability in the Great Lakes region,” President Museveni stated in a social media post from the summit. He thanked participants for what he termed “constructive exchanges,” reinforcing Uganda’s ongoing role as a regional peace broker.
The summit occurs against a complex backdrop of regional tensions, including recurring accusations of external support for various militias and concerns over the crisis’s disruptive impact on cross-border trade and refugee flows.
Adding to the diplomatic weight of the gathering, the Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Emmanuel Nchimbi, arrived in Entebbe to attend the ad-hoc summit, underscoring the broad regional concern over the conflict.
The outcomes of the Entebbe meeting are anticipated to inform next steps in diplomatic and security coordination, as regional leaders seek a unified path toward de-escalation in one of Africa’s most protracted conflicts.
About The Author
