KAMPALA, Feb. 4 (Xinhua) -- A high-level panel of facilitators led by former African heads of state convened in the Ugandan capital of Kampala on Tuesday to advance dialogue and the peace process in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The one-day meeting, hosted at State House Entebbe by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, was mandated to support regional dialogue and strengthen collective responses to the crisis in eastern DRC.
According to a State House statement issued late Tuesday, the panel included former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta, former Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde, former Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, and former Central African Republic President Catherine Samba Panza.
Addressing the meeting, Museveni said that a lasting solution in eastern DRC remained elusive. Obasanjo emphasized the need for solutions grounded in African realities, noting that the crisis in the eastern DRC involves multiple unresolved issues beyond armed groups, including the March 23 Movement.
He also cautioned against overreliance on externally driven approaches, stressing that while international partners can play a supportive role, durable peace must be anchored in African-led initiatives.
Obasanjo emphasized the importance of identifying the root causes of the conflict, including domestic tensions and the country's relationships with its neighbors. ■