A decade ago 11 African countries – Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, DRC, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia, signed the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region on 24 February 2013 with Kenya and Sudan following a year later to bring about long term peace and stability. This framework offered an avenue of hope for the people of the Great Lakes region by addressing the root causes of conflict and fostering trust between neighbouring countries.
Cycles of conflict and violence in the eastern DRC has recurred, and 10 years on, the Office of the Special Envoy of the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region in collaboration with the African Union (AU) and ACCORD convened a two-day Regional Retreat initiating an in-depth exchange with key stakeholders to reflect on the implementation impact of the PSC Framework. The retreat, facilitated by ACCORD’s Founder and Executive Director, Dr Vasu Gounden, was held in Durban, South Africa, on 31 October and 1 November 2023.
The PSC Framework, delineated a set of national, regional, and international commitments, collectively aimed at bringing an end to the violence in eastern DRC, fostering enduring peace and stability in the region. The primary objective of the retreat was to foster comprehensive dialogue with key stakeholders, to reflect on the Framework and craft recommendations for its future trajectory. The discussion was informed by a thorough assessment of the PSC Framework, which was mandated by the regional heads of state and government at the 11th High-Level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM), held on 6 May 2023, in Bujumbura, Burundi. The assessment was led by independent experts, who outlined some initial conclusions and recommendations for consideration of the Technical Steering Committee. This will also contribute to the recommendations for the revitalization of the PSC Framework to be submitted to the Heads of State of the Region at their 12th High-Level meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM).
All 13 signatory countries participated in the retreat including the four Guarantor institutions; the UN, AU, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Past and current senior representatives from partner organisations, experts from the Great Lakes region, women and youth representatives from regional civil society organisations were provided with the opportunity to share their perspectives on inclusivity in regional processes and present their recommendations during the open session of the retreat.
Several recurring recommendations stemming from the retreat included critical aspects such as the imperative clarification of the roles assumed by guarantor institutions, enhanced engagement with civil society, the wider dissemination and promotion of the framework, and the inclusion of all relevant stakeholders in the framework’s implementation, including women and youth.The retreat concluded with representatives from all participating parties reaffirming their unwavering commitment to the continued implementation of the framework aimed at solidifying peace, stability, and fortifying support for peacebuilding and regional cooperation within the Great Lakes region.
