President William Ruto of Kenya has emphasized the need to resolve the DRC crisis through dialogue rather than relying on a military solution. Ruto, who serves as the Chairperson of the East African Community, made these remarks during the official opening of the joint summit between the East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) at the Dar es Salaam State House on February 8, 2025. You can watch the full speech below or read the transcript.
Your Excellency and Co-Chair Dr. Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, Chairperson of SADC and President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Excellencies, Heads of State and Government of the East African Community and SADC Member States, Ministers Responsible for Foreign Affairs and External Relations of EAC and SADC, Secretaries-General of SADC and EAC, Distinguished Delegates, Esteemed Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen, I will take this very early opportunity to sincerely thank my dear sister, Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania, for hosting this joint summit.
After extensive consultations when I requested her to host this summit, without hesitation she offered these excellent facilities for us to engage in this exercise. My dear sister, thank you very much. We are truly grateful.
Equally important, I appreciate the efforts made by the two regions through their respective communities to mobilize with urgency and convene separate extraordinary summits in order to deliberate on the concerning security situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Excellencies, together, we find ourselves standing face to face with a grave and protracted security, diplomatic and humanitarian crisis in DRC, a situation that demands our immediate collective and sustained attention.
The east region of DRC has been engulfed in a devastating conflict for over two decades now. This tragedy has claimed thousands of lives, displaced countless civilians, inflicted unbearable suffering and loss, and set back the development momentum of one of the most promising countries in the world.
The recent escalation of hostilities in Goma and the surrounding areas is a stark reminder of the increasing fragility the situation presents and that only collective action to facilitate a negotiated solution will offer relief. Today, we join together in order to reiterate our calls to the parties to this tragic conflict to immediately cease hostilities and take positive action to allow meaningful dialogue aimed at restoration of stability.
Specifically, we stand together to call on all parties to actualize the ceasefire, and specifically on the M23 to halt further advancement and the armed forces of DRC to cease all retaliatory measures. An immediate ceasefire is the only way by which we can create necessary conditions for constructive dialogue and implementation of a comprehensive peace agreement.
“We stand together to call on all parties to actualize the ceasefire, and specifically on the M23 to halt further advancement and the armed forces of DRC to cease all retaliatory measures.”
As members of the African Union and United Nations, we stand bound by fundamental principles of respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of nations and the principle of good neighborliness. These twin principles are the surest safeguards for the realization of peaceful coexistence. Equally, us responsible members of the international community are bound by the obligation to ensure the safety of diplomatic assets, civilians, and personnel, as well as peacekeepers within our countries. The wanton disregard for the sanctity of life, diplomatic missions, and peacekeeping, and peacekeepers as well, is not only a present demonstration of lawless and unprincipled pursuit of violent harm and destruction, it is a grave affront to the rules-based international order.
Excellencies, our presence here underscores our consensus that the time for action is now. The lives of millions depend on our ability to navigate this complex and challenging situation with wisdom, clarity of mind, empathy for the millions whose lives and livelihoods have been plunged into uncertainty, concerns for DRC’s lost opportunity to accelerate its growth and development, and a steadfast commitment to peace and justice.
A terrible yet indisputable act is that the humanitarian cost of the conflict in the DRC has been staggering. Millions of civilians have been displaced and many lives under the persistent threat of violence, including sexual and gender-based violence against women and children, and the recruitment of children to take part in combat.
We have a historic opportunity to rise to our moral duty of making the protection of civilians our foremost priority, and of taking measures to ensure that the necessary resources and support are provided. For many well-known reasons, the situation in DRC implicates the broader global community. Therefore, we call upon the international community to step up and do its part in supporting regional efforts in delivering for the DRC and, critically, collaborating with the government of the DRC to deliver support and security to those most in need.
It is clear that the conflict in DRC is complex, delicate, protracted, and involves multiple actors pursuing different interests. The issues at stake span a wide historical, economic, and political spectrum, run back in time for many decades, and spill across national and regional borders. There is also a clandestine international dimension at work whose persistent, cynical, and destructive effects must neither be underestimated or ignored any longer.
“There is also a clandestine international dimension at work whose persistent, cynical, and destructive effects must neither be underestimated or ignored any longer.”
For this reason, it is equally clear that such a conflict cannot be resolved through military means. We must resist the temptation to think that we can somehow shoot or bombard our way into a solution in the face of such a complex situation. Instead, we have to agree that only a comprehensive diplomatic approach, one that addresses the root causes of the crisis, secures the historical integrity and territorial integrity of DRC, and affirms the sovereignty of its people and their aspirations for freedom, justice, and development, that is what will establish peace and enduring peace at that in DRC.
“We must resist the temptation to think that we can somehow shoot or bombard our way into a solution in the face of such a complex situation.
Such an approach must also bring together multiple stakeholders, regional states, international bodies, political organizations, civic society groups, and the Congolese government itself to dialogue and collaborate in order to explore, develop, and implement a lasting solution. Excellencies, I am confident that you agree with me that dialogue is not a sign of weakness. It is a testament to our collective wisdom and strength, both as leaders and as communities.
It shows our capacity to articulate issues patiently and clearly, listen to each other, consult comprehensively with a common goal in mind, and negotiate patiently until we reach a better outcome than the bitter results of bloodshed. It is in this spirit that we must encourage all parties to put aside their differences and mobilize for engagement in constructive dialogue aimed at achieving a sustainable solution of conflict by peacefully addressing all underlying issues.
I believe that we have a singular opportunity to build on the gains and lessons of Luanda and Nairobi peace processes. We have a historic opportunity as the broader neighborhood of the DRC to mobilize our collective will into a fused, single, and coherent initiative towards the resolution of this complex crisis. Such an approach will bring all our assets to bear and minimize the possibility of parallel initiatives that duplicate and undermine progress, including creating unnecessary competition as we strive for peace.
My dear brothers and sisters, this calls for our unwavering political support. I therefore urge your excellencies at this extraordinary joint summit to deploy our best effort and master our total commitment to facilitate a sustainable settlement that lays the foundation for a stable and prosperous Democratic Republic of Congo. I dare say, excellencies, the situation may be complex, it may be protracted, it may have been with us for years, but I believe the situation in the DRC can be solved, should be solved, and must be solved.
For this reason, it may also be prudent for the consolidated, single EAC-SADC initiative on this matter to be supported by a strong secretariat that can provide the necessary coordination, monitoring, and enforcement to ensure effective implementation of outcomes. The international community must stand in solidarity with the people of DRC during this time by aligning their support with this initiative.
“For this reason, it may also be prudent for the consolidated, single EAC-SADC initiative on this matter.
I conclude, excellencies, by affirming our robust commitment to achieving sustainable peace and development and integration across the region. The security of DRC is essential not only for the stability of the country, but also to the prosperity and cohesion of the entire EAC and SADC. We call upon all parties to prioritize dialogue, cooperation, and above all, the protection of civilian lives.
I thank you once again for being able to be here on this very important mission. It is a historic mission because for the first time, two regional economic blocs come together as a testament of the seriousness of the challenge we face, but also underscoring our commitment to provide leadership to resolve this issue. Thank you very much. May the Almighty God bless all of you and bless our region. Asanteni sana, Merci beaucoup, obrigado, thank you very much.
One Response
President William Ruto and Uganda president and Paul Kagame south Sudan they must be honest because where soldiers is which called M23. This M23 where not Congolese indeed.
African leaders must be honest not puppets of America British. By support Kagame in wrongful doing.