Guarantors of the Peace and Security Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region, held the 6th meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) on the 29th September 2015, in New York, in the side-lines of the UN General Assembly. The High Level meeting was convened by United Nations General Secretary, H.E. Ban Ki Moon, where H.E Odemiro Baloi, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation and Chairperson of the Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) represented H.E. Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, the Chairperson of SADC Organ. The meeting reviewed progress and challenges in the neutralization of the negative forces, status of the implementation of the Nairobi Declaration, and political situation South Sudan and Central African Republic.
Among others, the meeting called for renewed efforts to neutralize all armed groups in eastern DRC; encouraged the Government of the DRC and UN to reach an agreement with a view to reinstating their joint operations against FDLR and the gradual withdrawal of MONUSCO; and urged the international community to increase assistance to MONUSCO for DDRRR of the ex-FDLR combatants and their dependents cantoned in the transit camps.
The meeting noted the political and security developments prevailing in Burundi, and called the Government and all stakeholders to exercise restraint and continue the inclusive dialogue on the Basis of the Arusha Peace and Reconciliation Agreement and the East African Community (EAC) led mediation efforts. The meeting welcomed the signing of the Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in the Republic of South Sudan in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 17 August 2015, and in Juba South Sudan on the 26 August 2015, calling on the signatories to implement.
The meeting further adopted recommendations of the Ministerial Retreat on the implementation of the PSC Framework held in Nairobi, Kenya, in July 2015, and noted status of preparations for the Great Lakes Private Sector Investment Conference, scheduled for February 2016, in Kinshasa, DRC. The meeting welcomed the offer of the Government of DRC to host the Great Lakes Private Sector Investment Conference, on 24-25 February 2015, while urging the private sector investors, international and regional financial institutions to consider investment opportunities in the Great Lakes region.
The High Level meeting was also attended by H.E, Robert Gabriel Mugabe; President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and Chairperson of the AU; H.E Manuel Domingos Vicente, Vice President of the Republic of Angola, representing the Chairperson of the ICGLR; H.E Erastus Mwencha, African Union Commission Deputy Chairperson; and representatives of the Republics of Burundi, Rwanda, Kenya, DRC, Republic of Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia and the United Republic of Tanzania. In attendance were also the Executive Secretaries of SADC and ICGLR, H.E. Dr. Stergomena L. Tax and H.E. Professor Ntumba Luaba respectively.
