Togolese President Four Ghannasingbi arrived in Kinshasa during an official visit, as part of his new mission as a mediator of the African Union in the conflict between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
Ghannasingbe was appointed in this role to succeed the Angolan president Joao Lorenso, who has held the position since 2022.
Ghannasingbi’s visit came at a specific time, because large areas in the East Congo in the Congo Democrat are still under the control of a rebel group known as the Congo-M2 23 “coalition, which makes the challenges of new mediation.
However, the arrival of Ghannasingbi in Kinshasa is an important step towards the test to find a solution to this crisis which has been taking place for years.
Secret correction
Although some have welcomed the task of the new Togolese president, there is also caution and skepticism about the capacity of Ghannasingbi to succeed in the framework of his predecessors.
The efforts carried out by the Angolan President Joao Lorenso and the former President Kenyan Uhuru Kenyatta have previously failed, making Congo Democrat believe that negotiations could be condemned for failure.
But some believe that Ghannasingbe can progress thanks to his close relations with Congolese President Felix Cheskidi, as well as with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, who could open the way to progress in peaceful efforts.
“Confidence” plays a fundamental role in conflicting parties in the success of all mediation.
The role of Qatar and the international community
Ghannasingi’s visit to Kinshasa coincided with new regional developments because the state of Qatar has recently been publicized in this crisis, and has launched talks between the Congolese government and the M22 group.
The East Group Africa (EAC) and the “Southern African Development Group” (Sadak) joined mediation efforts, with the appointment of 4 brokers to follow the file.
Ghannasingbe also gathered before heading to the Congo in the Angolan capital, President Lorenza, as part of the delivery of tasks between them because they discussed the situation in the east of the Congo.
Although the meeting did not publish any official declaration, it is clear that the conflict in eastern Congo was at the center of their conversation.
The next mediation path
Despite cautious optimism, the question revolves around the capacity of President Ghannasingbi to achieve real penetration into this year’s conflict, which exhausted the local population and exacerbated humanitarian crises in the region.
It is based on intermediate positions and its relations with the main actors of the conflict can be the key to reaching peace, but the road is still long and full of challenges, according to analysts.