The African Union (AU) announced on Saturday that consultations were ongoing to appoint a mediator in the crisis between AFC/M23 and the DRC.
“In the coming days a successor to João Lourenço will be announced,” according to a communique by the AU.
The issue was discussed during the virtual meeting of the African Union (AU) bureau, chaired by its Angolan president, João Lourenço.
According to the Angolan Presidency, the AU will begin consultations with other member states to select João Lourenço’s successor.
“Specifically, the remote meeting of the African Union leadership discussed the appointment of a new mediator for the conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and AFC/M23, following the decision of President Lourenço not to assume this role, and to assume the responsibilities of Chairperson of the African Union, whose agenda and priorities require great dedication and availability,” the Angolan Presidency reported on Saturday.
Last month, after assuming the AU presidency, Angolan President Lourenço announced his withdrawal as mediator in the conflict raging in eastern DRC.
This decision was formalized in a statement from the Angolan Presidency, ending its efforts to resolve the crisis between Kinshasa and the Congo River Alliance (AFC)/M23 rebel movement.
The new mediator will be called upon to work with five facilitators of the merged peace process.
The team of facilitators includes; Uhuru Kenyatta (Kenya), Sahle-Work Zewde (Ethiopia), Catherine Samba-Panza (Central African Republic), Olusegun Obasanjo (Nigeria), and Kgalema Motlanthe (South Africa).
The objective of the regional organizations is to strengthen the two processes in order to improve their complementarity in order to achieve peace in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.
