This report provides an analysis of the regional trends and dynamics affecting the current crisis in Eastern DRC. Regional efforts in addressing the crisis are at an all-time high and include prominent roles for the region’s major organizations: the EAC, SADC, ICGLR and increasingly the AU. However, these regional interventions have not yet brought any tangible positive result. The regional efforts are closely followed by an anxious Congolese public opinion that affects the political space of the Congolese government, requiring careful management of political discourse and nationalist posturing. The report argues that engaging Congolese political and civil society leaders in regional matters is essential. Despite uncertainties, the region and the international community must maintain a credible regional military presence to support political and other tracks. The refugee issue needs to be addressed without overloading regional efforts. Existing policies and strategies within the EAC, ICGLR and at continental level should be operationalized, emphasizing the need for DRC commitment and refraining from excessive nationalist pos-turing. The crisis underlines the need for deep reform in the DRC and for regional factors to be addressed to ensure sustainable stability.