KAMPALA, Uganda— Leaders from the Great Lakes Region are calling for renewed political will and collective action to resolve the protracted crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo).
The call was made during the 12th High-Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) of the Peace, Security, and Cooperation (PSC) Framework, which began yesterday at Mestil Hotel in Kampala.
The summit, which commenced Monday with a technical session, has gathered heads of state, foreign affairs ministers and senior representatives from 13 African countries and four guarantor institutions. The aim is to reinvigorate efforts toward lasting peace in the conflict-affected Great Lakes region.
The high-stakes meeting, chaired by Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, will conclude tomorrow with a presidential session at State House Entebbe.
The summit convenes amid escalating tensions and a humanitarian crisis in eastern DR Congo, where numerous armed groups continue to destabilize communities, displace civilians and undermine regional cooperation. Delegates have acknowledged the urgency of revitalizing the 2013 PSC Framework, originally signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to address the root causes of the conflict.
In his opening remarks at the meeting of foreign affairs ministers, Uganda’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs (Regional Affairs), John Mulimba, emphasized the need for a united front against enduring transboundary threats.
“These threats are transboundary in nature and demand transboundary solutions rooted [in] intelligence sharing and mutual respect,” Mulimba said. He called for renewed political will among member states, stressing the need for inclusive governance, regional accountability mechanisms and the full participation of women and youth in peace processes.
Ambassador João Samuel Caholo, the executive secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), applauded Uganda’s leadership in hosting the summit and coordinating efforts. He reaffirmed ICGLR’s commitment to regional peace and highlighted the importance of mutual respect and good neighborliness.
Sghair M’Bareck, the African Union (AU) High Representative for the Great Lakes Region, addressed the ministerial session, stating, “We must strengthen co-operation among neighboring countries and invest in long-term mechanisms for peacekeeping.”
The United Nations (UN) Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, Huang Xia, thanked Uganda for its consistent commitment to the peace process.
