Our Partners
Partnership
The partners provide technical and financial support to the CS in the implementation of its activities.
During the foundational years of the ICGLR, there existed a Group of Friends (GOF) of the ICGLR, which brought together 27 countries and the EU and the African Union, which were active in the Great Lakes Region. These were Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, the European Commission, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, the Holy See, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland the United Kingdom, the United States of America. It worth mentioning that
recently the Republic of Türkiye joined the ICGLR Group of friends.
This brought together a combination of donor countries and international organisations. The group provided political, diplomatic, financial and technical support to the ICGLR from December 2003, which led first to the signing of the Dar es Salaam Declaration in November 2004, and thereafter to the signing of the Pact in Nairobi in 2006.
The organization has collaboration with various organizations including the UN and its specialized agencies such as UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UN Women, UNECA and the World Bank. Some of the partners that the ICGLR is currently collaborating with include:
The European Union (EU) supports the ICGLR through a regional project on peace and security in the Great Lakes Region, aimed at strengthening the governance of mineral resources. Implemented by IMPACT, this initiative enhances transparency, accountability, and responsible mineral supply chains, contributing to sustainable development and regional stability across ICGLR Member States.
The ICGLR has existing MoU with Sub-regional Economic Communities such as the East African Community (EAC), Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), CEPGL.
SADC Collaborated in organising the Angola and Burundi Regional Women Forum under the Leadership of AU and respective governments.
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) partners with the ICGLR to strengthen women’s meaningful participation in peace and security processes and to promote responsible resource governance across the Great Lakes Region. As an implementation partner of a regional project on cooperation in peace, security, and responsible resource governance, GIZ supports the development of strategies, capacity-building initiatives, and stakeholder engagement to advance the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, enhance regional collaboration, and ensure inclusive, sustainable approaches to natural resource management and conflict prevention.
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Implementing partner of a regional project on Peace and Security in the Great Lakes Region: Supporting the ICGLR and its Member States to Improve Governance of their Mineral Resources.
The African Union (AU) partners with the ICGLR to promote the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1325. Through collaboration, joint engagements, and participation in regional workshops and events, the AU supports the ICGLR’s efforts to advance women’s leadership, participation, and protection in peace and security processes across the Great Lakes Region.
The Office of the UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region (OSESG-GL) partners with the ICGLR to advance gender equality, youth empowerment, and inclusive participation in peace, security, and natural resource governance. In addition to promoting women’s and youth leadership in regional development, the Office supports advocacy campaigns against mineral smuggling in the Great Lakes Region, fostering responsible resource management and regional stability, while strengthening the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security Agenda in line with global and regional commitments.
UNHCR and ReDSS
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Regional Durable Solutions Secretariat (ReDSS) are key ICGLR partners in promoting durable solutions for refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and the eradication of statelessness in the Great Lakes Region. Through these partnerships, the ICGLR works to strengthen regional coordination, develop a comprehensive regional strategy on durable solutions, and enhance collaboration among Member States and partners. These efforts aim to support inclusive, sustainable approaches that ensure protection, integration, and long-term stability for displaced populations across the region.
ACCORD supports the ICGLR’s participation and engagement in regional initiatives, including the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) workshop held in South Africa. This collaboration enhances ICGLR’s efforts to strengthen women’s leadership and participation in peacebuilding and security processes across the Great Lakes Region.
UNFPA and UN Women
UNFPA and UN Women are key partners of the ICGLR in advancing women’s meaningful participation in peace and security processes across the Great Lakes Region. Through joint initiatives such as the Regional Women’s Forum and other collaborative platforms, they work together to promote the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Agenda, strengthen coordination among stakeholders, and empower women to play an active role in fostering peace, security, and economic cooperation in the region.
The ICGLR partners with EISA in strengthening efforts to promote democracy and good governance through credible elections, as mandated by the Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance, as well as relevant international and regional election benchmarks for the conduct and monitoring of elections.
An MOU between the two institutions was signed on 31st July 2017 in Bujumbura. Some of the joint areas of focus in the MoU include, development of a framework for democracy deepening methodology, through strengthening election observation and women’s participation in electoral processes and conducting joint research in order to professionalize cycle-based approach to election assessments (pre-election, election and post-election).
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Burundi partners with the ICGLR to support humanitarian assistance efforts in the Great Lakes Region. Through this collaboration, the Embassy provided vital support to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Bujumbura Rural, Burundi, contributing food, essential household items, educational materials, and dignity kits for women. This partnership demonstrates China’s commitment to promoting solidarity, humanitarian relief, and community resilience in ICGLR Member States.