Gaborone – Botswana’s Minister of International Relations, Hon. Dr. Phenyo Butale, has welcomed a high level gathering of African statesmen and mediators to Gaborone for a meeting aimed at forging a single, unified peace process for the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The Minister delivered his welcome remarks at the opening session of the meeting of the African Union Panel of Facilitators and the Independent Joint Secretariat on the Peace Process for the Eastern DRC. The gathering drew a roll call of former African leaders and senior officials, including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Central African Republic Transitional President Catherine Samba-Panza, former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, former Botswana President Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, and former Burundi President Domitien Ndayizeye.
Also in attendance were SADC Executive Secretary Elias Mpedi Magosi, African Union Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Ambassador Bankole Adeoye, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the East African Community, a representative of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, and representatives of the State of Qatar and the United States of America. 
Speaking on behalf of the Government and people of Botswana, Butale said the presence of the delegates reflected a shared commitment to sustainable peace, security and stability on the continent, and a collective resolve to support African led efforts to resolve one of Africa’s most complex and protracted conflicts.
He said the meeting came at a critical time in efforts to restore lasting peace in the eastern DRC and reflected the determination of the African Union and Regional Economic Communities to strengthen a coherent, coordinated and African owned mediation framework.
Butale described the DRC as a country of strategic importance, noting that as one of Africa’s largest states, rich in natural resources and located at the heart of the continent, its peace and prosperity are indispensable not only to its own people but also to regional integration, cross border trade, economic transformation and the goals of the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
He said the continued instability in the eastern DRC had far reaching consequences beyond its borders. The protracted conflict, he noted, had produced humanitarian crises marked by the displacement of millions, the loss of countless lives, and the destruction of communities and livelihoods. It had also fuelled the proliferation of armed groups, undermined regional security and economic development, disrupted cross border trade, and worsened the illicit exploitation of natural resources, with adverse effects across the Great Lakes Region and beyond.
The Minister welcomed the meeting’s aim of harmonising the various peace initiatives into a single, unified process for the eastern DRC, saying Botswana fully supported the endeavour.
He pointed to the decision by the Joint Summit of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to merge the Luanda and Nairobi Processes as a significant turning point, and said the subsequent establishment of the Five-Member Panel of Facilitators and the Independent Joint Secretariat under the leadership of the African Union represented an important milestone.
Butale commended the African Union, the EAC, SADC, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and other stakeholders for their commitment to a peaceful resolution of the conflict. He also welcomed the complementary contributions of the Doha and Washington initiatives in creating additional avenues for dialogue and confidence building among the parties, while stressing that all mediation efforts should reinforce one another and remain aligned with the African Union led process.
He paid tribute to the members of the Panel of Facilitators, and said Botswana was particularly honoured that former President Masisi serves as the SADC representative on the Panel.
The Minister noted that the evening’s programme included a public lecture at the University of Botswana on the DRC Peace Process, which he said would deepen public understanding of the ongoing peace efforts.
He said the meeting presented an opportunity to review progress under the thematic responsibilities assigned to the Facilitators, strengthen coordination between the Panel and the Independent Joint Secretariat, identify practical measures to advance mediation, and develop a clear roadmap and operational action plan for the period ahead.
“As we gather here in Gaborone, let us be guided by a common purpose, a spirit of solidarity and partnership, and an unwavering determination to translate our collective commitments into tangible progress on the ground,” Butale said.
