Track Two Diplomacy and Civil Society Peacebuilding in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo

Background: The persistence of armed conflict involving the M23 rebel group and multiple militia factions in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo through 2023 and 2024, despite formal regional mediation efforts under the East African Community and Southern African Development Community frameworks, has drawn attention to the complementary role of informal track two diplomatic initiatives involving civil society and religious actors. Aims/objectives: This research examines the contributions and limitations of track two diplomacy efforts in supporting formal peace processes and addressing community-level grievances within the eastern Congo conflict. Method: A qualitative case study approach was employed, drawing on interviews with civil society peacebuilding practitioners, religious leaders, and conflict resolution specialists operating in the eastern provinces during the study period. Results: Findings indicate that track two initiatives successfully facilitated localized dialogue and confidence-building measures among community groups where formal state-level negotiations remained stalled, though their impact remained geographically limited and vulnerable to disruption from renewed fighting between formal negotiation rounds. Conclusion: The research concludes that track two diplomacy provides valuable complementary functions to formal peace processes but cannot substitute for sustained political will among state and armed group leadership. Greater coordination between formal regional mediators and civil society peacebuilding networks is recommended to maximize complementary impact in protracted conflict settings.

Keywords: track two diplomacy, Democratic Republic of Congo, civil society peacebuilding, conflict resolution, regional mediation