Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi has invited regional Presidents to a high-level Summit in the eastern part of the country to discuss peace and security among other issues. Among those invited include Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Rwanda's Paul Kagame, Burundi's Evariste Ndayishimiye and Angola's Joao Lurenço to a summit in Goma, North Kivu Province, some 1500 km east of the capital Kinshasa.

According to Jolino Makelele, the Minister of Communication and spokesperson for the Congolese government, peace and security are key issues that are going to feature in the meeting. Relations and cooperation among regional countries is also top on the agenda. Observers say that this is a high-impact mini-summit that is aimed at discussing peace and security in the region, diplomatic and political relations among the states and the turnaround of shuttered economies in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

Congolese ministers of Interior (Gilbert Nkankonde), Foreign Affairs (Marie Tumba), International Cooperation (Guillaume Manjolo), Defence (Aimé Ngoy Mukena) and Foreign Trade (Jean-Lucien Bussa) are working hard so that Democratic Republic of Congo shapes the nature and outcomes of a Summit that hasn't been held in five years. It also comes at a time when regional tensions are already upbeat with each player accusing the other of carrying out subversive activities that endanger security and sovereignty. Tensions between Uganda and Rwanda have seen both countries engage in economic blockade that has caused Rwanda to shut its border with Uganda for a year. Rwanda and Burundi have also been engaged in a cold war with each country accusing the other of sponsoring a rebellion.

It is also seen as an opportunity by President Kagame to rejuvenate and mend Rwanda's broken relationship with Congo after years of frosty relations with DRC's administration under President Joseph Kabila  DRC has since applied to join the East African Community, reportedly on Rwanda's encouragement. Burundi under the new stewardship of President Evariste Ndayishimiye sees this as an opportunity to build and launch new image for his country after many years of isolation during President Nkurunziza. The Summit also intends to help President Tshisekedi a cement a legacy as a transformational leader who wants to be remembered as a peace maker who brokered peace among countries whose relationship has largely been delicate over the years.