Dr. Vasu Gounden, the Founder and Executive Director of the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), attended the 6th Great Lakes Stakeholders and Experts Retreat that was held in Bujumbura, Burundi. The Retreat, which took place from 4 to 5 March 2024, was a collaborative initiative of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), the Office of the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, and the Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum (CPPF) at the Social Science Research Council.
The Retreat brought together signatory countries of the Peace, Security, and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the surrounding region. Participants included decision-makers representing regional institutions, peace operations, as well as Special Envoys and civil society representatives actively engaged in, or focusing on, the Great Lakes region.
Dr. Gounden who was a resource person took the lead in facilitating a session centered on “Revitalising the PSC Framework.” The session aimed to explore the ongoing revitalisation process of the PSC Framework and to look at how a revitalised framework could contribute to addressing the current crisis in the region. Participants were also briefed on the main findings of an independent assessment report on the revitalisation of the PSC Framework, along with key recommendations from the latest Technical Support Committee (TSC) meeting.
This Retreat follows Dr. Gounden’s facilitation of a two-day Regional Retreat, held from 31 October to 1 November 2023, on the Revitalisation of the PSC Framework for the DRC and the region, that was hosted by the Office of the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General, in collaboration with the African Union and ACCORD, which took place in Durban, South Africa.
The deliberations during the 6th Great Lakes Stakeholders and Experts Retreat holds substantial promise for influencing long-term outcomes in regional peace processes, security trends, and economic integration efforts, with a focus on identifying collaborative entry points for supporting the region. ACCORD, under the guidance of Dr. Gounden, continues to play a pivotal role in contributing to sustainable peace on the Continent.
