Uganda has been selected to host the 12th High-Level oversight meeting on Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes Region.
The decision was reached during the 11th High-Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for DRC and the region.
The summit held in Bujumbura, Burundi was attended by the Heads of State and Government of the Signatory Countries of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The purpose of the meeting was to review recent developments in the region as well as progress and challenges in the implementation of the PSC Framework, ten years after its signing on 24 February 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
It was agreed that the leaders will meet again in Kampala, Uganda, in 2024 to further review the implementation of the PSC Framework.
During the summit, the outgoing PSC Chair H.E Felix Antoine Tshishekedi (President of DRC) handed over leadership to Burundi President, H.E Evariste Ndayishimiye.
The United Nations (UN) Secretary General, H.E Antonio Guterres, said DRC is a rich country endowed with priceless natural resources, but her citizens have not benefited from them due to the instability in the country.
He rallied other countries in the region to put resources together to help their neighbor gain stability so that it can develop socially and economically.
Audrine Faith Otieno, the Chairperson of Peace and Security of the Regional Youth Forum of the International Conference on Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), attributed the high levels of unemployment and poverty in the Great Lakes Region to instability.
Otieno also urged leaders in the region to fulfill the resolutions they come up with during high level summits so that these interventions don’t go to waste.
She also thanked the Government of Kenya for hosting their regional offices.
The outgoing chair of PSC, H.E Tshishekedi appreciated participating countries for their endless efforts in ensuring that DRC regain stability.
He further assured that due to the PSC Framework, peace will reign again in DRC, thus asking fellow leaders not to give up on their fruitful efforts.
The President of Burundi H.E Ndayishimiye, who is also the incoming PSC chair, thanked President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, who was in attendance, for playing a vital role in ensuring peace and security in the region.
He also lauded the peace process facilitator, the former President of Kenya Uhuru Kenyatta for the job well done in ensuring that DRC gains stability.
Meanwhile, the Heads of State and Government or Representatives of the following Signatory Countries participated in the meeting: Republic of Angola Republic of Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Republic of Kenya, Republic of Rwanda, Republic of South Africa, Republic of South Sudan, Republic of the Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Republic of Uganda, and the Republic of Zambia.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), the Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, the Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) and the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) in charge of corporate affairs also participated in the deliberations as Guarantor Institutions of the PSC Framework.
The Heads of State also planted trees at State House – Bujumbura as a sign of conserving the environment.