Zambia set to host extraordinary defence meeting of Great Lakes Region on eastern DRC crisis

The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) is set to convene an Extraordinary Meeting of its Committee of Ministers of Defence on January 10, 2026 in Livingstone, Zambia, to tackle the worsening security and humanitarian situation in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and its ripple effects across the region.

The gathering will bring together defence ministers from all 12 ICGLR member states: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

A statement issued by the ICGLR) stated that ministers were expected to develop a coordinated regional response, guided by the ICGLR Pact on Security, Stability and Development and the Protocol on Non-Aggression and Mutual Defence.

“Key agenda items include an assessment of the security and humanitarian situation on the ground and a review of the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+). The EJVM+, established as part of the Ceasefire Oversight and Monitoring Mechanism signed in Doha, Qatar, on October 14, 2025, aims to strengthen operational oversight of the ongoing ceasefire between the Government of DRC and the AFC/M23 armed group,” the statement indicated.

The mechanism integrates balanced representation from both the FARDC and AFC/M23, with logistical support from MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping mission in DRC.

In line with ICGLR procedures, the ministers’ meeting will be preceded by two preparatory sessions in Livingstone: an Extraordinary Meeting of the Specialised Committee of Defence Experts on January 8 and an Extraordinary Meeting of the Chiefs of Defence Forces/Staff on January 9.

These sessions will involve defence representatives from member states, officials from the ICGLR Secretariat, and experts from the EJVM and the ICGLR Joint Intelligence Fusion Centre (JIFC).

The ICGLR Secretariat, in partnership with Zambia, was overseeing all organizational and logistical arrangements, including facilitation of media coverage, to ensure comprehensive reporting of the discussions.

The conference underscores the ICGLR’s commitment to a unified regional strategy to address security challenges and protect civilians in eastern DRC, a region long affected by armed conflict and humanitarian instability.

WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.