New York, 18 September 2026 – The Secretariat of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) convened an unprecedented meeting on Friday, 18 September 2026, bringing together the Permanent Representatives of its Member States to the United Nations.

The meeting provided an opportunity for participants to exchange views on the evolving security and humanitarian situation in the Great Lakes Region and to explore ways to strengthen coordination and advocacy by Member States at the United Nations in support of the ICGLR’s efforts.

One strong message resonated throughout the discussions: African problems require African solutions. Rather than creating new frameworks, participants emphasised the need to strengthen the implementation of commitments made by Heads of State and Government at the establishment of the ICGLR and formally set out in the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region.

Participants also underscored the need to strengthen existing regional peace and security mechanisms, including ICGLR structures based in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia, through adequate financial, human and technical resources.

The discussions further highlighted the cross-border nature of crises in the region. Given the geographical interconnectedness of ICGLR Member States, conflict in one country can quickly affect neighbouring countries and, more broadly, regional stability.

In this context, particular attention was given to the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+), an ICGLR mechanism mandated to monitor and verify compliance with the ceasefire in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Twenty years after its establishment, the ICGLR remains committed to evolving in response to the changing realities and challenges of the region, while remaining faithful to its mandate and to the principles of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region.