The 9th Summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) concluded on Saturday, November 15, in Kinshasa, marking the first leaders-level meeting since 2020. The twelve-member state presidents participated in discussions focused on security and regional economic integration.
The summit followed a series of preparatory meetings held by the member states’ ministers on November 14, including a side event highlighting three major infrastructure projects that Kinshasa is relying on to enhance regional connectivity. These projects include: the Lobito corridor for transporting Congolese minerals to the Atlantic Ocean, the railway line connecting Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the overland route linking Uganda and the Central African Republic via the DRC. The Congolese government aims to position these projects as a cornerstone of a new approach that places economic integration at the heart of the conference’s work.
During the summit’s opening, Prime Minister Judith Sumina emphasized her country’s commitment to steering the conference toward strengthening economic diplomacy, noting that the Democratic Republic of Congo “stands at the crossroads of seven integration regions, and our historical responsibility is to unite, not divide.”
Participants noted that focusing on the economic agenda could offer an opportunity to revitalize the conference, which has faced “institutional stagnation” in recent years, and transform it into a more effective platform for regional development. For Kinshasa, the summit was also a chance to showcase its leadership role within the organization, described by a Congolese government advisor as having “modest, almost absent diplomacy.”
Conflicts in eastern DRC topped the list of challenges, particularly the escalating clashes with the M23 armed movement supported by Rwanda, amid ongoing military tensions despite talks in Doha and Washington. Observers noted the complete absence of the Rwandan delegation at the summit, whether at the expert, diplomatic, or political leader level.
Leaders also discussed developments in the conflict in Sudan, now in its third year since the outbreak of war in April 2023, as well as the political situation in Tanzania following the wave of violence after President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s election, amid a lack of effective action from the ICGLR.
Kinshasa hopes that the summit’s outcomes will help revitalize the conference’s role as a platform for crisis resolution and growth in one of Africa’s regions most in need of stability and integration.
The organization’s membership includes: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.