Kinshasa, DRC – The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has assumed the Chairmanship of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) following the 9th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government, held on 15 November 2025 at the Palais du Peuple in Kinshasa. Convened under the theme “Consolidating Peace and Security for Sustainable Development in the Great Lakes Region,” the summit underscored renewed momentum toward regional stability and integration.
Five Heads of State attended in person for the first time since the pandemic, representing Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, and the host nation. Uganda was represented by Hon. Huda Oleru, Minister of State for Defence (Veteran Affairs), who stood in for President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
A key milestone of the summit was the official handover of the ICGLR Chairmanship from Angola to the DRC. The Heads of State also appointed Dr. Mubita Luwabelwa of Zambia as the new Executive Secretary, succeeding Amb. João Caholo.
In his opening message, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy, Mr. Huang Xia, called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in eastern DRC and urged member states to ensure unhindered humanitarian access to affected populations. Accepting the Chairmanship, President Félix Tshisekedi pledged to uphold regional principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-aggression, and the rejection of support to armed groups. He stressed his commitment to fostering inclusive dialogue that engages women, youth, local leaders, and communities as part of a long-term political solution.
Hon. Huda Oleru commended the outgoing Chair and Secretariat for advancing cooperation and dialogue. She emphasised the continued threat of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) to Uganda and the broader region, while appreciating DRC’s partnership through Operation Shujja. She also called for enhanced support to the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM) to neutralise armed groups, and urged the ICGLR to prioritise interventions in Sudan and South Sudan.
Oleru further appealed for renewed focus on regional socio-economic transformation through trade, investment, job creation, and empowerment of youth and women, stressing that the region’s abundant natural resources must drive development rather than conflict.
The Summit concluded with a closed-door session that adopted the Kinshasa Declaration, aligning ICGLR peace efforts with ongoing regional initiatives led by the African Union, Doha, and Washington processes.
