OPEN LETTER: 

REIMAGINING PEACE:
A FEDERAL OR CONFEDERATE CONSTRUCT AS THE KEY TO STABILITY IN THE DRC

To:

H.E. Évariste Ndayishimiye,
President of Burundi & Chairperson, COMESA,
Ben Bella Road,
Lusaka,
Zambia
Email: [email protected]. Phone: +260-211-229725

Cc:

H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf
Chairperson, African Union Commission (AUC),
P.O. Box 3243,
Roosevelt Street (Old Airport Area),
Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia
Email: [email protected].
Phone: +251 11 551 77 00

Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma
Former Chairperson, African Union Commission,
Africa Union Foundation, 1258 Lever Road, Midrand,
South Africa
Email: [email protected].
Phone: +27 (0)11 313 5105

H.E. John Dramani Mahama,
President of Ghana &
Chairperson, Tana Forum Board,
FLAGSTAFF HOUSE,
Accra,
Ghana
Email: [email protected].
Phone: +233 30 290 4419

Hon. Fortune Z. Charumbira,
President, Pan-African Parliament (PAP),
Private Bag X16,
Halfway House,
Midrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
Email: [email protected]. Phone: +27 11 545 5000

Rt Hon. Kingsford Sumana Bagbin,
The Speaker of Parliament,
Parliament House,
Accra.

Background-

A Century of Instability and Exploitation in the DRC.
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has endured over a century of conflict and exploitation.

The arbitrary borders imposed during the 1884–85 Berlin Conference fractured indigenous societies and disrupted traditional governance as expounded in the study of Teperek (2025). 

Although the nation gained independence in 1960, it has been trapped in cycles of violence, corruption, and foreign interference which is driven largely by the struggle over its vast mineral wealth.

International and regional bodies (AU, EAC, SADC) and UN peacekeeping missions have made efforts, including the 2020 Silencing the Guns initiative, yet lasting peace remains elusive (Yeboah & Okoro, 2024).

 Neighboring states like Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi have been drawn into these conflicts, worsening regional tensions and fueling further instability.

Challenges-

The Limits of Conventional Interventions

Traditional external interventions and elite-driven governance models have repeatedly failed to secure peace in the DRC. 

Key Challenges include-

• Ineffective Peacekeeping:
  Historical failures such as the inability to prevent the 1994 Rwandan genocide or halt persistent conflict since 1996 underscore the limitations of current international efforts.
• Fragmented Governance:
  Power remains concentrated among political elites who often benefit from ongoing instability, sidelining grassroots and traditional voices.
• Exploitation of Resources:
  The DRC’s mineral riches (cobalt, gold, coltan, diamonds) continue to fund armed groups, with recent clashes in Eastern DRC resulting in over 700 deaths and 2,800 injuries.
• Missed Indigenous Solutions:
  In contrast to the DRC’s turmoil, Rwanda’s recovery through indigenous mechanisms like the Gacaca courts demonstrates the potential of community-led peace and reconciliation.

What New Model Can Break the Cycle of Conflict and Foster Transformation?

Given the shortcomings of past interventions and centralized governance, how can the DRC achieve lasting peace, stability, and economic transformation? 

What model can empower local communities and leverage indigenous wisdom to counter external exploitation and internal divisions?

The way forward-

A Federal or Confederate State Anchored in African-Led Solutions

We propose establishing a federal or confederate state between the DRC and Rwanda with potential inclusion of Burundi that prioritizes regional integration, grassroots participation, and economic self-reliance. 

This approach includes-

1. Integrated Political and Economic Structure

• Unified Governance: Re-establishing pre-colonial ethnic, cultural, and trade relationships through a shared political structure would reduce border conflicts and foster unity.
• Economic Integration: Free movement of people, goods, and capital across borders would spur local investment and create opportunities for sustainable growth.

1. A Unified Security and Disaster Management Command

• Collective Defense: Inspired by the Sahel Alliance model, a joint military and disaster management command would secure borders, deter insurgencies, and prevent proxy conflicts without relying on foreign forces.
• Regional Stability: 
  A single security framework would counteract external interests that exploit local grievances for profit.

1. Grassroots and Traditional Governance in Peacebuilding

• Empowering Traditional Leaders: 
  Integrating respected traditional authorities—whose mediation success rates reportedly reach 85% (versus 60% in formal judicial processes) ensures community interests are at the forefront.
• Annual Leaders’ Summit: 
  An organized forum for African traditional leaders would institutionalize indigenous dispute resolution and promote collective reconciliation, building on successful models like Rwanda’s Gacaca courts.

1. Economic Reconstruction via an Integrated Market System

• Resource-Driven Development: 

Prioritizing intra-African trade would harness the DRC’s resources for the benefit of local populations, creating jobs, improving food security, and expanding access to vital services.

• Counteracting Exploitation: 
  Redirecting resource revenues from foreign corporations to regional development projects would help break the cycle of exploitation and conflict.

1. A Long-Term Vision for Continental Self-Reliance

• African Union Government: 
  Stabilizing the DRC through regional integration is pivotal for Africa’s future. 

A secure DRC could serve as a cornerstone for a united African governance model, echoing the visions of leaders like Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

• Sovereignty Over Resources: 
  By reclaiming control over its wealth and destiny, Africa can overcome the legacy of imperialist exploitation.

In a nutshell-

A Radical Yet Practical Shift:
This proposal represents a transformative shift from ineffective international interventions to African-led, bottom-up solutions. 

By integrating traditional governance, unifying security, and fostering economic interdependence, a federal or confederate state between the DRC, Rwanda, and potentially Burundi provides a clear pathway to lasting peace and development.

The time for Africa to reclaim its destiny is now only through self-reliant, indigenous models can Agenda 2063 be truly realized.

We urge the SADC, EAC, COMESA, and the AU to consider this innovative proposal for a united, stable, and prosperous Central Africa.

On behalf of the Pan African Solidarity Group,

Benjamin Anyagre Aziginaateeg

CEO, AfriKan Continental Union Consult (ACUC)

References: 

Teperek, A. A. (2025). Historical Conditions of the World’s Smallest Economies and Modern Times. In Long-Term Economic Growth in the World’s Smallest Economies: Historical, Political, and Economical Aspects (pp. 39-79). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland.

Yeboah, P. A., & Okoro, J. P. (2024). From the Sustainable Development Goal 16 to the African Union Silencing the Guns Agenda: Why It Is So Difficult to Achieve Sustainable Peace and Stability in Africa?. In Africa’s Engagement with the Responsibility to Protect in the 21st Century (pp. 339-356). Singapore: Springer Nature Singapore.

Conflict Statistics (2025). Data on recent clashes in Eastern DRC, including 700 deaths and 2,800 injuries. https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/24/africa/7000-killed-in-fighting-in-drc-intl/index.html

Endorsing Organizations: 

Pan African Solidarity Group and its partners–

• Congoles Renaissance Movement (CRM)  

• DevAfrica Institute  
• DR Congo Awareness Initiative (DCAI)  
• Bloc Populaire Africain pour la Souveraineté du Congo (BPASCO)  
• Organización de Aliados Estratégicos de Desarrollo Económico, Social, Sustentable y Cultural de Africa (OAEDESSCA)  
• AfriKan Continental Union Consult (ACUC)