Gnassingbé Arrives in Rwanda to Advance Mediation Efforts in DRC Conflict

Kigali, January 30, 2026 - The Prime Minister of Togo, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, arrived in Rwanda on the night of January 29, 2026, for an official visit. He was received by Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe.

Gnassingbé, who has visited Rwanda on several occasions, last met with President Paul Kagame in April 2025, shortly after being appointed by the African Union (AU) as mediator in the conflict between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

The visit aims to reinforce his commitment to working with regional and international stakeholders to achieve a lasting solution to the crisis in eastern DRC. Discussions focused on the progress of regional peace talks and efforts to stabilize the region.

On March 24, 2025, Angola announced that President João Lourenço would step down as mediator in the DRC-Rwanda conflict to concentrate on continental initiatives. He subsequently proposed Gnassingbé as his successor, a move later endorsed by the African Union.

In early April 2025, the AU supported the proposal, and on April 12, 2025, the AU General Assembly unanimously appointed Gnassingbé as mediator between Rwanda and the DRC.

Gnassingbé has since made several visits to Rwanda to discuss security, regional stability, and African cooperation. He also traveled to Kigali in January 2025 for a two-day working visit, during which both countries agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation.

Relations between Rwanda and the DRC have deteriorated in recent years due to the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC. Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of supporting the AFC/M23 alliance, while Rwanda accuses the DRC of backing the FDLR, a group linked to perpetrators of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

Recently, the African Union reduced the mandate of mediators in the eastern DRC conflict. This decision followed a security meeting held in Lomé, Togo, from January 16 to 17, 2026.

The mediation process is currently led by Prime Minister Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, supported by a team from Togo’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and his office.