On Friday, 20 November 2020, a virtual summit by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) saw member countries adopt a security pact. The pact is aimed at fostering peace among member states.
This was the 8th bi-annual Summit of the head of states of Great Lake region countries. Angolan president João Lourenço chaired the Summit. Among prominent persons who attended the Summit were the UN secretary-general, António Guterres, and the African Union Commission’s chairperson.
The mandate of the ICGLR
ICGLR is an inter-governmental organization of the countries in the African Great Lakes Region established under the recognition of political instability and conflicts in the member countries. It aims to gain a concerted effort to promote sustainable peace and development. It makes up 12 member states.
ICGLR’s Pact on Security, Stability, and Development in the Great Lakes Region serves as a legal framework and an agenda of the ICGLR to create the conditions for security, stability, and development between the member states. The pact was adopted in Nairobi in December 2006.
Member States
International Conference on the Great Lakes Region member states includes Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda.
Other member countries are the Republic of South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia
Meeting Proceedings
The peace accord requires countries to develop cooperation to eradicate armed groups and enforce a peace agreement. According to Lourenço, this will help solve challenges facing member states such as Burundi and the Central African Republic.
Ambassador Téte António highlighted that the meeting’s main agendas were collective advocacy of member states and lifting of sanctions. He also mentioned the vitality of the youth being involved in the peace process.
“Another important point is the African youth. Therefore, the region has a population of young people, and this youthful contribution is necessary regarding issues of peace and safety,” Ambassador Téte António said.
Other key issues that stood out in the meeting were Angola’s election to preside over the regional organization in the coming years and the creation of a group of experts to fight COVID-19 in the region.
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