Togo’s President of the Council of Ministers, Faure Gnassingbé, held talks on Monday with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) President Felix Tshisekedi in Lomé, as part of diplomatic efforts to strengthen regional cooperation and consolidate recent progress toward peace in eastern Congo.
The meeting focused on bilateral relations between Togo and the DRC, as well as broader questions of interregional integration, according to Togolese authorities. It also underscored Togo’s growing diplomatic role on the African stage following Gnassingbé’s appointment in April 2025 as African Union mediator in the long-running conflict between the DRC and Rwanda.
Tshisekedi praised Gnassingbé’s mediation efforts, which helped pave the way for a landmark peace agreement signed by Kinshasa and Kigali in Washington in November 2025. The agreement was aimed at easing tensions between the two neighbours, whose relations had been strained by years of conflict and mutual accusations over armed groups operating in eastern Congo.
The Lomé talks were held at Gnassingbé’s invitation and form part of follow-up efforts to ensure the implementation of commitments made under the Washington agreement. The leaders discussed ways to translate diplomatic progress into tangible improvements in security and humanitarian conditions in eastern DRC, a region plagued by decades of violence involving rebel groups, local militias and foreign armed factions.
Their meeting comes ahead of a technical coordination meeting scheduled for January 17 in the Togolese capital. That gathering is expected to bring together representatives from the DRC, Rwanda, the African Union and other key stakeholders to map out the practical steps needed to implement the peace deal.
According to Togolese officials, discussions at the upcoming meeting will focus on military de-escalation measures, confidence-building mechanisms and the coordination of humanitarian assistance for communities affected by fighting and displacement. Eastern Congo remains one of the world’s most complex humanitarian crises, with millions of people displaced and widespread food insecurity.
Togo has positioned itself as an active diplomatic broker in recent years, despite its modest size, leveraging its neutrality and longstanding engagement in multilateral forums. Gnassingbé’s appointment as African Union mediator marked a significant expansion of Lomé’s role in regional peace efforts, particularly in Central Africa.
Since taking on the mediation role, Gnassingbé has pursued parallel political and diplomatic tracks, holding consultations with leaders in the Great Lakes region as well as with international partners, including the United States and European countries. His efforts have sought to complement existing regional initiatives led by organisations such as the East African Community and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region.
The Washington peace agreement was widely welcomed by international partners, though analysts caution that its success will depend on sustained political will and effective implementation on the ground. Previous accords aimed at stabilising eastern DRC have often faltered due to mistrust, competing regional interests and weak enforcement mechanisms.
In addition to security issues, Gnassingbé has advocated for reforms to international development aid, arguing that long-term stability in conflict-affected regions requires more effective and better-coordinated economic support. In October 2025, he launched initiatives with France aimed at rethinking development financing and linking aid more closely to peacebuilding and state capacity.
During Monday’s meeting, the two leaders also discussed economic cooperation and interregional integration, reflecting broader ambitions to deepen ties between West and Central Africa. Strengthening transport links, trade corridors and institutional cooperation were among the topics raised, according to officials familiar with the discussions.
For Tshisekedi, the visit to Lomé comes as he seeks to consolidate diplomatic gains while addressing persistent insecurity at home. Despite the peace agreement with Rwanda, armed groups remain active in parts of eastern Congo, and the Congolese army continues operations against militias accused of exploiting ethnic tensions and mineral resources.
Togolese authorities say Lomé remains committed to supporting dialogue and ensuring that diplomatic momentum is not lost. “The objective is to turn political agreements into concrete stability on the ground,” a government source said.
As regional leaders and international partners prepare for the January 17 coordination meeting, expectations are high that the Lomé process could help reinforce fragile peace efforts and lay the groundwork for longer-term stability in eastern DRC.
