(MENAFN) African Union (AU) Chairperson Joao Lourenco has appointed Togo’s Leader Faure Gnassingbe to serve as the mediator for peace talks between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and the M23 rebels, based on a statement from his office on Saturday.

Initial discussions with Gnassingbe have been positive, although the final approval is dependent on the formal agreement from the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, Lourenco shared during a virtual meeting with the Bureau of the Assembly of the African Union in Angola.

Lourenco, who also serves as the president of Angola, highlighted the serious and worsening humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC, pointing out the significant suffering of civilians and its destabilizing effect on regional peace.

“The proposal was endorsed by the Assembly Bureau Members,” the statement said.

The previous month, Lourenco decided to step down from his mediation role, expressing his desire to focus on his responsibilities within the AU.

Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, the Chairperson of the African Union Commission, thanked Lourenco for his commitment to promoting peace in the region.

Youssouf emphasized the importance of creating a comprehensive plan to guide the mediation process and confirmed that the Commission would follow the necessary steps to formally approve the nomination of the Togolese president.

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