Nairobi (Kenya), 3 March 2021 – The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework agreement for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region signed in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, marked its eighth anniversary on 24 February 2021. In recognition of this milestone, the signatory institutions to the Framework also known as the Guarantors, namely the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), held a virtual meeting on 3 March to exchange views on past achievements and the challenges ahead under the commitments of this Framework.

More specifically, the Guarantors exchanged on recent regional developments; reviewed common priorities and the way forward for 2021; and discussed options for a full implementation of the Framework, including in the context of the UN Strategy for Peace Consolidation, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution in the Great Lakes region.

The Guarantors noted ongoing efforts by the signatory countries to improve bilateral and multilateral relations and cooperation in line with their commitments under the Framework and under the ICGLR Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes region. They welcomed the continued efforts by Rwanda and Uganda to enhance their cooperation under the quadripartite processes facilitated by Angola and the DRC, and initiatives undertaken by Burundi and Rwanda towards a normalization of their bilateral relations.

Immediately following the meeting, the Guarantors issued a joint statement to take stock of the past eight years since the signing of the Framework.

The meeting brought together the representatives of the four guarantor institutions, including Huang Xia, UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region; Basile Ikouebe, AU Special Representative for the Great Lakes region; João Samuel Caholo, ICGLR Executive Secretary; and Stergomena Lawrence Tax, SADC Executive Secretary.

The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework also referred to as a “Framework of Hope” was signed by 13 countries of the region and the four guarantor institutions.