Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday chaired an Ad-Hoc Regional Summit at State House in Entebbe, bringing together regional leaders and representatives to assess the deteriorating security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and strengthen coordination toward lasting peace in the Great Lakes region. In a statement, Museveni said discussions reflected a strong commitment among participating countries to collaborate for peace and stability, as renewed fighting involving the M23 rebel movement, Congolese government forces (FARDC) and allied militias continues to fuel a

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on Sunday chaired an Ad-Hoc Regional Summit at State House in Entebbe, bringing together regional leaders and representatives to assess the deteriorating security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and strengthen coordination toward lasting peace in the Great Lakes region. In a statement, Museveni said discussions reflected a strong commitment among participating countries to collaborate for peace and stability, as renewed fighting involving the M23 rebel movement, Congolese government forces (FARDC) and allied militias continues to fuel a worsening humanitarian crisis in North and South Kivu. The summit comes amid heightened regional tensions following intense clashes around Uvira, South Kivu, which forced thousands of civilians to flee into neighbouring Burundi. The violence prompted temporary border closures, school shutdowns and widespread displacement. On December 16, the M23, operating under the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC/M23), announced a unilateral withdrawal from Uvira, describing the move as a confidence-building measure aimed at advancing the Doha Peace Process. The group said the decision followed progress under the Doha Framework Agreement signed on November 15, 2025, and was taken at the request of United States mediators. Despite the announcement, AFC/M23 warned that previous withdrawals had been exploited by Congolese forces and allied militias to reoccupy territory and target civilians. The group called for urgent mechanisms to manage Uvira, including demilitarisation, civilian protection and neutral ceasefire monitoring. The regional escalation follows a Washington-brokered peace deal between DRC President Félix Tshisekedi and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, committing both sides to a permanent ceasefire and regional cooperation. However, M23 is not a signatory to that agreement, underscoring the fragile nature of current peace efforts. As international pressure mounts, including renewed UN and US engagement, Museveni’s summit is viewed as a critical step in aligning regional initiatives with broader diplomatic efforts to de-escalate the conflict and pursue a sustainable political solution.

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