This week, AU calls for united African solution to DRC crisis. Sudanese army reviews new ceasefire proposal from US and Saudi. South Sudan and DRC exchange prisoners in gesture of peace.
AU Calls for United African Solution to DRC Crisis
At a meeting in Lomé, Togo on January 16 and 17, the African Union (AU) called for stronger coordination among African, regional and international peace initiatives, in order to respond to the crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
AU Commission Mahmoud Ali Youssouf urged an African-led solution to end the crisis, saying “African-led efforts must now take precedence, giving concrete meaning to the principle of African solutions to African problems.”
Youssouf added that dialogues should take into account the legitimate security concerns of Rwanda and Uganda, and support Burundi in managing a growing number of refugees. He noted that despite numerous mediation initiatives, violence continues in Goma, Bukavu, and Uvira.
The meeting reaffirmed support for the Doha process between the DRC government and M23, and concluded with the adoption of a unified mediation framework document and a plan to guide coordinated action. The meeting also renewed a commitment to African follow-up on implementing peace agreements, Oumar Sankare of AA reported.
Sudanese Army Reviews New Ceasefire Proposal from US and Saudi
Sudan’s army is reviewing a new ceasefire proposal from the United States and Saudi Arabia. The country’s Security and Defense council said it was meeting to discuss the proposal on January 21.
This development comes after various efforts by the ‘Quade,’ a group of countries including the US, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia, have failed to sustain a long-term ceasefire between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Sudan’s civil war born out of a power struggle between Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) leader Abel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti. The conflict has left the country in what US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has described as the “world’s largest humanitarian crisis, leaving over 25 million Sudanese facing acute food insecurity and over 600,000 experiencing famine.”
UN High Commissioner for Refugees Barham Salih last week praised Chad for welcoming over 900,000 refugees since Sudan’s civil war broke out. UN News reported on January 16 that Salih had visited Chad to meet with refugees there.
Turk described Chad’s acceptance of Sudanese refugees as “a powerful act of solidarity.”
South Sudan and DRC Exchange Prisoners in Gesture of Peace
South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) conducted a major prisoner exchange following a diplomatic meeting, Chief Bisong Etahoben reported in HumAngle on January 21.
Though the number of prisoners exchanged was not reported, both countries stressed that the meeting was important for security cooperation, the permanent exchange of intelligence between the two countries, and strengthening peace and coexistence.
This development comes amidst a tense security situation at the border of DRC and South Sudan. Many refugees are fleeing atrocities in South Sudan, with over 33,000 South Sudanese refugees having fled to DRC as of August 2025. and some rogue elements of the South Sudanese security forces have disguised themselves as refugees and looted several DRC communities.
Charles Dhata, the South Sudanese commissioner, said, “Today, we have met with your authorities to resolve the situation which is going on between us. We must resolve our differences, we must put in efforts so that we no longer return to situations that have already taken place.”
Keywords: peace, DRC, Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, conflict, conflict resolution, ceasefire
Tara Abhasakun
Tara Abhasakun is Peace News Network (PNN)'s managing editor. She is journalist based in Christchurch, New Zealand, and formerly in Bangkok, Thailand. She has reported on a range of human rights issues involving youth protests in Thailand, as well as arts and culture. Tara's work has appeared in several outlets, including Al Jazeera and South China Morning Post.
