Former South African President Kgalema Motlanthe has joined a panel of ex-presidents mediating peace in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, balancing Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) representation. His appointment follows concerns over bias that a previous panel, which had no member from an SADC country, favored Kigali. Rwanda, a key backer of the M23 rebels, is an EAC member, while the DRC is a member of the SADC. The new five-member panel—also including Nigeria’s Olusegun Obasanjo, Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, the Central African Republic’s Catherine Samba Panza, and Ethiopia’s Sahle-Work Zewde—will unify existing peace processes, oversee the conflict resolution process, and work towards lasting peace in the region.
Source: Daily Maverick
