African Heads of State and Government convened in Entebbe, Uganda, on Wednesday for the 12th High-Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes Region.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni chaired the summit, which brought together leaders and representatives from the 13 signatory countries, alongside guarantor institutions including the African Union, the United Nations, and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). Development partners and international observers also attended.
The meeting focused on the worsening security and humanitarian crisis in eastern DRC. Leaders condemned the escalating violence, mass displacement, and human rights abuses—particularly sexual violence—committed by armed groups operating in the region.
In a joint declaration, the summit strongly denounced the activities of M23/AFC, FDLR, ADF, RED Tabara, and CODECO. The leaders demanded the immediate disarmament of these groups and called for an end to all external support that sustains them.
The summit adopted a new Action Plan to revitalize the PSC Framework. The plan, developed by the Technical Support Committee and endorsed by foreign ministers, outlines concrete steps to strengthen coordination, accountability, and regional cooperation in addressing the root causes of conflict.
Member states reaffirmed their commitment to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity and pledged not to support or shelter individuals wanted for serious international crimes.
The meeting also expressed support for Sudan’s peace roadmap and condemned atrocities by the RSF rebel militia, including drone attacks that have endangered humanitarian missions in Port Sudan.
Participants commended Uganda’s efforts in joint military operations against the ADF and its investment in regional infrastructure as contributions to economic and security stability.
Diplomatic interventions by Angola, Togo, the United States, and Qatar were recognized for helping facilitate dialogue between the DRC, Rwanda, and armed factions.
The leaders emphasized inclusive peacebuilding by endorsing the establishment of a regional women mediators' group and strengthening youth and women peace forums.
They also committed to fighting impunity and illicit resource exploitation, calling for the full enforcement of existing protocols and regional legal frameworks.
The summit reviewed findings from an independent assessment conducted on the PSC Framework’s 10th anniversary. Member states agreed to enhance peer review mechanisms to ensure consistent adherence to agreed commitments.
The Entebbe meeting reaffirmed regional unity in seeking lasting peace, security, and development in the Great Lakes region. Leaders agreed to reconvene at the next High-Level ROM meeting to evaluate the implementation of the Action Plan and review new accountability measures.
