The 10th Extraordinary Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) was held on Friday June 2 in Luanda, Angola. The Heads of State and Government adopted the agenda of the summit and proceeded to the examination of the final communiqué focusing on the political and security situation in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
DRC representatives expressed concern and urged the warring parties to take steps to avoid any attempt at military build-up aimed at reigniting hostilities. The deplorable situation of displaced persons and refugees in eastern DRC was also addressed, with a pressing demand for the reopening of roads to facilitate their return.
At the same time, the agenda also focused on the implementation of the decision of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) to support the DRC in its efforts to restore peace and security in the east of the country. The representatives of the DRC and Sudan discussed the need for an inclusive dialogue and the immediate cessation of hostilities.
The final communiqué must be adopted the day after the summit, ie Saturday, June 3. The Heads of State and Government present, such as Félix Antoine Tshisekedi from the DRC, Hakainde Hichilema from Zambia, Prosper Bazombanza from Burundi and Joao Manuel Gonçalves Lourenço, President of Angola and current President of the ICGLR, will participate.
In sum, the consultative meeting of the inter-ministerial committee of the ICGLR made it possible to address the pressing problems in eastern DRC and to propose effective solutions to restore peace and security in the Great Lakes region.