Entebbe — Heads of State and senior officials from across the Great Lakes region gathered in Entebbe on Wednesday for the 12th High-Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region.
The summit was chaired by Ugandan President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, with a strong emphasis on regional unity, peacebuilding, and renewed commitment to addressing persistent insecurity.
The meeting brought together representatives from Angola, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, along with the African Union (AU), the United Nations (UN), and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) — guarantor institutions of the framework. Observers included regional and international partners.
Revitalising Peace Commitments
One of the key outcomes of the meeting was the adoption of an Action Plan for revitalising the PSC Framework, as developed by the Technical Support Committee (TSC) and reviewed by ministers of foreign affairs. The leaders reaffirmed the framework’s relevance and pledged to strengthen accountability through regular reporting and a new peer-review mechanism ahead of the next ROM summit in 2026.
Condemnation of Armed Groups and External Interference
The communiqué issued after the meeting strongly condemned the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in eastern DRC, highlighting mass displacement, rising sexual violence, and restricted humanitarian access. The leaders denounced territorial advances and the establishment of parallel administrations by the M23/AFC rebel group, which they said benefited from external support — a clear reference to alleged foreign involvement.
The summit also called for the dismantling of other foreign armed groups, including the FDLR, ADF, RED Tabara, and CODECO, urging them to disarm unconditionally. The Contact and Coordination Group’s Operational Cell was tasked with continuing efforts to engage these groups for voluntary disarmament and repatriation.
Support for Sudan and South Sudan
The leaders expressed solidarity with Sudan, which is currently facing a devastating civil conflict. They supported Sudan’s national roadmap for peace and demanded that the RSF rebel group adhere to UN Security Council Resolution 2736, including lifting the siege on El Fasher. The ROM called for enhanced regional cooperation to halt arms and mercenary flows into Sudan, in compliance with the UN arms embargo.
South Sudan was commended for its continued implementation of the revitalised peace agreement, with a call to engage non-signatory groups for an inclusive national dialogue.
Recognition of Regional Peace Efforts
Uganda was praised for its bilateral initiatives, including joint military operations with the DRC against the ADF, cross-border infrastructure projects with the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and DRC, and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline project with Tanzania.
The leaders welcomed peace facilitation by the East African Community (EAC) and SADC, which recently appointed a joint EAC-SADC Panel of Facilitators, including two women mediators, to support peace processes in eastern DRC.
They also acknowledged efforts by Angolan President João Lourenço, Chairperson of both the ICGLR and AU, under the Luanda Process, and welcomed Togo’s President Faure Gnassingbé as the new AU-designated Mediator between DRC and Rwanda.
Recent international mediation efforts led by Qatar and the United States were applauded, especially the Joint Declaration between the DRC Government and M23 (April 23, 2025) and a Declaration of Principles between the DRC and Rwanda (April 25, 2025).
Women, Peace, and Security
A significant milestone was the agreement to establish a group of women mediators and ensure the effective participation of the AU Special Envoy for Women, Peace, and Security in the implementation of the PSC Framework.
Commitment to Justice and Natural Resources
The meeting underscored the importance of fighting impunity and curbing the illicit exploitation of natural resources, which has long fueled armed conflict in the region.
The 12th ROM concluded with expressions of gratitude to President Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi for his tenure as ROM Chair (May 2023–May 2025), and to President Museveni and the people of Uganda for hosting the summit. The signatories agreed to reconvene within one year in 2026 to assess progress on the implementation of the revitalised PSC Framework.
