Nairobi Hosts High-Level Closed-Door Talks on Eastern DRC Peace Process

A closed-door Process Design Meeting supporting H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta’s Armed Groups Working Stream under the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Peace Process commenced today at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Upper Hill, Nairobi, bringing together key regional and international stakeholders tasked with shaping the next phase of engagement with armed groups in Eastern Congo.

The three-day technical session is part of ongoing efforts to refine operational frameworks for dialogue, disengagement, and reintegration pathways targeting armed groups operating in Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu—areas that have remained central to the protracted instability in Eastern DRC.

The meeting brings together representatives from the African Union (AU) African Union, the East African Community (EAC) East African Community, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Southern African Development Community, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) MONUSCO, and the Office of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region.

The United Nations system, through its regional stabilization framework, continues to play a central coordinating role in supporting peacebuilding and security stabilization initiatives in Eastern Congo under broader UN mandates United Nations.

Focus on structure, safeguards, and sequencing

According to officials familiar with the discussions, the Nairobi meeting is focusing on refining the scope, safeguards, and sequencing criteria that will guide future engagement with armed groups. This includes determining entry points for dialogue, verifying compliance mechanisms, and designing transition pathways that balance security imperatives with humanitarian considerations.

The Armed Groups Working Stream—chaired under the facilitation of H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta—has been positioned as a critical pillar of the wider East African-led peace architecture aimed at stabilizing the eastern DRC region.

Regional and continental coordination

The engagement reflects a growing convergence between African regional blocs and international partners in addressing the multi-layered conflict dynamics in Eastern Congo.

The African Union’s Peace and Security framework continues to anchor continental mediation efforts African Union, while the EAC and SADC blocs maintain joint oversight mechanisms supporting regional security coordination EAC SADC.

MONUSCO remains a key operational partner in providing field-level intelligence, protection of civilians, and logistical support for stabilization initiatives in Eastern DRC MONUSCO.

Culmination expected with strategic session

The Nairobi technical meeting is expected to conclude with a closed strategic session involving H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, where the refined framework will be reviewed ahead of the next implementation phase of the Armed Groups Working Stream.

Officials indicate that outcomes from the meeting will directly inform upcoming engagement protocols with armed actors across the three provinces, particularly on demobilization frameworks and regional security guarantees.