Government has called for urgent and coordinated regional action to address the worsening security and humanitarian crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), warning that continued instability poses a serious threat to civilians and the wider Great Lakes Region.
Zambia Army Commander Lieutenant General Geoffrey Zyeele says the situation in eastern DRC remains highly volatile, with women and children bearing the brunt of ongoing violence.
Lt Gen Zyeele stressed that conflict requires immediate and decisive attention from regional defence and security stakeholders.
The media reports that he made the remarks while officially opening the Extraordinary Meeting of the Specialised Committee of Defence Experts of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), held in Livingstone.
Lt Gen Zyeele noted that insecurity in the DRC has far-reaching consequences beyond its borders, undermining peace, stability and development across the Great Lakes Region.
The Army Commander urged defence experts attending the meeting to demonstrate solidarity, compassion and resolve in responding to the crisis.
Lt Gen Zyeele further called for a review of existing peace and monitoring frameworks to ensure their effectiveness.
“One of the critical tasks before us is the reconsideration of the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism and the terms of reference for the Ceasefire Oversight and Monitoring Mechanism signed in Doha, It is imperative that these mechanisms remain credible, impartial and effective,” Lieutenant General Zyeele said.
Meanwhile, ICGLR Deputy Executive Secretary Ambassador Yasir Ibrahim Ali Mohammed expressed concern over the continued activities of the AFC/M23 rebel group, which he said are destabilising eastern DRC.
Ambassador Mohammed cited the capture of Uvira, a strategic town near the DRC–Burundi border, as a major setback to peace efforts in the region.
He said the ongoing conflict has led to widespread human suffering, large-scale displacement of civilians and significant disruption to humanitarian operations.
The Deputy Executive Secretary further called on ICGLR Member States to take decisive and coordinated action to halt the escalation of violence, warning that failure to do so would further deepen the humanitarian crisis and increase the risk of regional instability.
The Extraordinary Meeting is expected to deliberate on concrete measures aimed at restoring peace, strengthening ceasefire monitoring mechanisms and enhancing regional cooperation to address the security challenges facing eastern DRC.
