Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé has taken up the mantle of mediator just days after being designated to help resolve the crisis shaking eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and its neighbor, Rwanda.
On Wednesday, April 16, he made his first official visit to Kinshasa, the Congolese capital. Alongside his counterpart Félix Tshisekedi, the African Union-appointed mediator held discreet talks with the Congolese president.
Faure Gnassingbé, accompanied by his Minister of Foreign Affairs Robert Dussey, was received by President Tshisekedi at the OAU City residence in Kinshasa.
No official statement followed the meeting between Faure Gnassingbé and Félix Tshisekedi. However, according to a source from the Congolese presidency, the discussion provided an opportunity for the two heads of state to lay the groundwork for cooperation on this sensitive issue.
“The DRC acknowledges this appointment and hopes it will help spark a dynamic for lasting peace,” was the reserved comment made in Kinshasa.
Faure Gnassingbé’s visit is part of an initiative to establish contact with the opposing parties in the crisis. In addition to the African Union, Qatar, the East African Community (EAC), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) are now involved in efforts to resolve the conflict.
As part of these efforts, Qatar recently stood out by hosting a groundbreaking meeting between Félix Tshisekedi and Paul Kagame last March—their first in over a year.