NAIROBI, Kenya, June 16— Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi has warned the international community against pursuing unilateral approaches to conflict resolution in Africa, cautioning that such efforts risk undermining regional mechanisms dedicated to securing lasting peace—particularly in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region.
His remarks come amid heightened tensions between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over ongoing fighting in eastern DRC, where Congolese forces are battling the M23 rebels.
Kigali has repeatedly accused Western countries of unfairly blaming Rwanda for the conflict while failing to hold the DRC accountable for its alleged support of anti-Rwanda rebel groups such as the FDLR.
Mudavadi, who represented President William Ruto at the 13th edition of the Kultaranta Talks in Naantali, Finland, made the remarks during a high-level panel discussion on the shifting global geopolitical landscape.
The talks were convened by Finnish President Alexander Stubb under the theme “The Changing World Order—Old Meets New.”
“On matters of peace and security, I cautioned against unilateral conflict resolution efforts that risk undermining regional mechanisms actively working to secure lasting peace, particularly in the Horn of Africa and the Great Lakes region,” he said.
In his address, Mudavadi, who doubles up as Prime Cabinet Secretary, stressed the importance of empowering regional frameworks as part of a broader push for “genuine multilateralism.”
He emphasized that enduring peace can only be achieved through shared responsibility and mutual respect for regional and international institutions.
The session, themed “Accumulation of Shocks at the Global Level – What the West Should Understand,” also addressed global instability and the need for stronger partnerships between developed and developing nations.
Mudavadi urged Western nations to reframe their engagement with Africa, aligning trade, investment, and economic cooperation with the continent’s evolving development priorities.
Mudavadi shared the panel with Foreign Ministers Elina Valtonen of Finland, Dr. Arnoldo André Tinoco of Costa Rica, S.E.M. Olushegun Adjadi Bakari of Benin, and Thailand’s Vice Minister Russ Jalichandra.
The dialogue featured robust exchanges on how to navigate the increasingly complex web of global crises, from geopolitical rivalries to economic shocks and climate threats.
The Kultaranta Talks, held annually, bring together global leaders, policymakers, and thinkers to deliberate on critical issues shaping the international order.
