The European Union (EU) in partnership with African Union are scrambling for a lasting solution to the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as fears grow the conflict could spiral to the wider Great Lake Region.

Of greater concern to the African Union and European Union is the humanitarian crisis the conflict has unleashed in the wake the conquest of Goma and Bukavu cities by the Rwanda-backed M23 rebels that have announced their intention to take the war to the government in the capital, Kinshasa.

The concerns were raised in Addis Ababa at the weekend as EU-AU partnership gears up to celebrate its 25 years since inception. The partnership raised concerns over recent bloodbath in DRC that humanitarian organisations estimate has so far claimed between 3,000 and 7,000 civilian lives and displaced hundreds of thousands since M23 rebels took over Goma and Bukavu cities in the mineral-rich eastern Congo.

The high-powered delegation consisting of European Union Special Representative Johan Borgstam and other key speakers who met in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, raised concerns over the growing unrest especially in the DRC and embarked on working on how to end the hostilities and restore normalcy.

The March 6-7 Addis Ababa meeting, which was also attended by the African Union Commissioner for Political, Peace and Security Affairs Bankole Adoye, Javier Nino Perez, who is the European Union ambassador to the African Union, United Nations Special Representative for the Secretary General to the African Union and head of United Nations Office to the African Union Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, ambassadors drawn from Kenya, Angola, DRC, Rwanda and South Africa, various think-tanks, alongside resident European Union member-states and international partners, the meeting discussed how it will enhance peace and security cooperation.

“The main purpose of the visit was to engage with the African Union leadership and also to clearly understand the position of the African Union Commission towards the ongoing Great Lakes Region crisis.

“This being my first visit to Addis Ababa,” Borgstam said, “the visit will further confirm the European Union support for the Angolan presidency and African Union Commissioner Bankole Adoye”.

The European Union Special Representative discussed with stakeholders how best the European Union could support regional organisations to be able to tackle the ongoing unrest in Eastern Congo. The EUSR leadership further expressed the urgency for a ceasefire that will see the humanitarian crisis end.

“We are calling on all the interested parties to embrace the ongoing dialogue for the nation to reach an amicable and positive solution. At a time of urgency as we are witnessing the escalating situation in DRC, it is high time for African Union and member-states to display its leadership mettle and ensure that the two warring parties hold their fire and resolve to get back to the negotiating table and as the European Union is ready and willing to support that to see peace prevail in the war torn country”.

European Union Ambassador to the African Union Javier Nino Perez outlined that the Addis Ababa visit was part of the union’s extensive mission to the region including DRC, Rwanda, Burundi, Kenya and Tanzania with an already diplomatic visits in Kampala and Nairobi having been accomplished last week.

Since his appointment as the European Union Special Representative in September 2024, Johan Borgstam has been mandated to lead the realisation of the renewed European Union Great Lakes Region strategy that calls for support towards peace stability and security in the Great Lakes Region through ensuring there is de-escalation of tensions and instead promote dialogue and long-term regional cohesion especially in the warzone Congo where he is to contribute towards the regional efforts to end and transform the trigger effects to the insecurity and instability into shared opportunities that will see peace prevail and unlock the regions full potentials.

The European Union is working around the clock to put to an end the ongoing conflict in eastern Congo which has been heightened by renewed offensive by the M23 militia that is allegedly supported by the Rwandan military and which has been cited as a slowdown to the African-led efforts a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

• A Tell report / Isaac Andanje Wakhungu