Kinshasa, 29 August 2014 – The Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region (SESG), Said Djinnit completes his first two-day visit in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in a move to advance the objectives of a regional peace agreement signed in Addis Ababa in February last year. In Kinshasa, he met with a wide range of stakeholders including President Kabila, Government officials, the Diplomatic Corps, the United Nations family, and Civil Society. “The DRC is at the heart of the PSC Framework and to me, it was important to come here at the outset of my first regional tour” said Special Envoy Djinnit who is also scheduled to visit other signatory countries, including Rwanda and Uganda in the coming weeks.

SESG Djinnit discussed with President Kabila and the Congolese authorities on ways to collectively work to achieve progress under the PSC Framework Agreement, through the effective implementation of the commitments undertaken by the signatory States of the Agreement. They also discussed ongoing challenges that continue to impede stability in eastern DRC and the region. The Special Envoy and the DRC leadership paid a particular attention to the FDLR disarmament process, the repatriation of the former M23 combatants from Rwanda and Uganda and the importance of sustaining political will among the regional leaders to consolidate the gains achieved so far and meet all commitments under the PSC Framework.