Togo’s Gnassingbé leads Great Lakes peace mediation

Dec. 5, 2025

Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé has intensified diplomatic efforts across the Great Lakes region.

Since his appointment as Mediator by the African Union (AU) in April 2025, Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé has intensified diplomatic efforts across the Great Lakes region, successfully promoting a path toward lasting peace between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda.

Gnassingbé’s comprehensive mediation strategy involved immediate bilateral and multilateral consultations with key regional players: Luanda: Meetings with Angolan President João Lourenço, the current AU Chairperson, to consolidate support for the Togolese initiative. Kinshasa & Kigali: Direct discussions with President Félix Tshisekedi and President Paul Kagame to address the deep-seated causes of the conflict, build confidence, and prepare a framework for constructive dialogue. Regional Coordination: Consultations with Presidents Yoweri Museveni (Uganda) and Évariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi) to consolidate regional coordination.

Lomé has since emerged as a critical diplomatic hub. On May 17, 2025, Gnassingbé convened former heads of state who were part of the AU’s panel of facilitators to harmonize strategies. The meeting benefited from the participation of representatives from the United Nations, the African Union, and the United States, positioning Togo’s capital as a central meeting point for peace envoys focused on stabilizing the Great Lakes region.

In October 2025, Gnassingbé co-chaired a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris focusing on the volatile situation in eastern DRC, where clashes between the Congolese army and the M23 movement continue to worsen the humanitarian crisis. This engagement aimed to reinforce international support and accompany African-led peace initiatives.

The efforts by President Gnassingbé and other mediators culminated in the historic peace agreement signed by the DRC and Rwanda in Washington on Thursday, December 4, mediated by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Gnassingbé’s presence in Washington for the signing marked an important step in aligning international partners—including the United States and Qatar, which have enhanced their cooperation with Togo—around a coordinated approach. His pivotal role in guiding the complex negotiations confirms his position as a figure of consensus and competence within African peace efforts, helping to lay the foundations for a new model of coexistence based on cooperation and shared prosperity in the Great Lakes region.

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