*calls for M23 withdrawal, stronger AU involvement, immediate ceasefire implementation
By Michael Oche
The African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has urged leaders involved in the Rwanda-DR Congo peace talks to move beyond diplomacy and take concrete steps toward ending the crisis in Eastern DRC.
While welcoming the face-to-face discussions between President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, facilitated by the Emir of Qatar in Doha, ITUC-Africa stressed that lasting peace can only be achieved through meaningful action.
In a statement signed by General Secretary Akhator Joel Odigie, ITUC-Africa insisted that commitments to an “immediate and unconditional ceasefire” must not remain symbolic but be swiftly implemented and monitored.
The workers organization called for the urgent withdrawal of the M23 rebel group, citing their continued presence as a major threat to stability in the region.
Beyond the ceasefire, ITUC-Africa emphasized the need for the African Union (AU) to play a central role in resolving the conflict.
It urged the AU to take full responsibility in facilitating and overseeing the peace process to ensure that African-led solutions drive sustainable conflict resolution.
“We urge the African Union (AU) not to abrogate its responsibility in this crisis. The AU must be integral in facilitating and overseeing the peace process, ensuring that African solutions drive sustainable and homegrown resolutions to this conflict,” Odigie Stated
The statement also called on regional economic blocs, such as the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), to strengthen their coordination and uphold regional peace mechanisms.
The conflict in Eastern DRC has triggered a large-scale humanitarian disaster, with more than seven million people displaced.
ITUC-Africa pointed out that the region’s mineral wealth continues to fuel violence, exploitation, and foreign interference, worsening the crisis.
The organization urged global trade unions and the international community to remain engaged in pushing for justice, peace, and accountability for those responsible for human rights violations.
The statement read partly, “The ongoing violence in Eastern Congo is not only a political crisis but also a human rights and humanttarian catastrophe. More than seven million people are displaced, and the region’s vast mineral wealth continues to fuel conflict, exploitation, and external interference.
“As such, the international community, including global trade unions, must continue to push for peace, justice, and accountability for all parties responsible for atrocities and human rights violations.”
As part of its commitment to peacebuilding, ITUC-Africa also disclosed plans to dedicate the 2025 Africa Day celebrations to a colloquium on peace, industrialization, and trade as drivers of Africa’s development.
The event will bring together the AU, the African Development Bank, and other key stakeholders to seek practical solutions for the continent’s long-term stability.
“ITUC-Africa stands in solidarity with the workers, trade unions, and people of the DRC and beyond who seek stability, security, and economic justice in their territories,” the statement added.
