On 27 June 2023, the Special Representative of the Secretary- General (SRSG) to the African Union (AU) and Head of the UNOAU, Parfait Onanga-Ayanga represented the Secretary-General to the Quadripartite Summit on coordination and harmonization of peace initiatives in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which was convened by the Chairperson of the AU Commission (AUC), Moussa Faki Mahamat, and hosted in Luanda by the Government of the Republic of Angola.

The Quadripartite Summit comprises the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and includes the participation of representatives from the DRC and Rwanda as concerned countries.

The Summit was chaired by H.E. Azali Assoumani, President of the Union of The Comoros and AU Chairperson and was hosted  by H.E. President João Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço of Angola, also AU Champion for Peace and Reconciliation in Africa and Chairperson of the ICGLR; and attended by: H.E. Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the DRC; H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of Burundi, Chairperson of the EAC and the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (PSCF) for DRC and the Region, as well as AU Champion for Youth, Peace and Security in Africa; H.E. Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon and Chairperson of the ECCAS; H.E. Dr. Emmerson Mnangagwa, President of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of the AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) for June 2023; and H.E. Dr. Nangolo Mbumba, Vice President of Namibia and Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Affairs; Hon. Vincent Biruta, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation representing the President of Rwanda, and H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, former President of Kenya and the Facilitator of the EAC-led Nairobi Process. Among others, Mr. Peter Mutuku Mathuki, EAC Secretary General; Mr. Gilberto Verissimo, ECCAS Commission Chairperson; Mr. Joao Samuel Caholo, ICGLR Executive Secretary; and Mr. Elias Magosi, SADC Executive Secretary also attended the Summit. The United Nations Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes (SESG/GLR), Huang Xia, and the SRSG for the DRC and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DR Congo (MONUSCO), Bintou Keita, also attended the Summit.

This was the first Quadripartite Summit under this arrangement, and it consisted of briefings on the diplomatic, political, military, humanitarian and socio-economic aspects as well as peace, security and stability initiatives of, and achievements by, the Quadripartite Summit Members. Experts and Ministerial Sessions preceded the Summit and were held on 25 June and on 26 June respectively. Read full communique here.