Addis Ababa, 25 November 2015: The Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union (AU), Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, today, at the AU Headquarters, received the Special Envoy of the United Nations (UN) for the Great Lakes Region, Ambassador Said Djinnit. The meeting provided an opportunity to exchange views on the overall situation in the Great Lakes Region, including in Burundi. In this context, they stressed the need for the urgent launching of an inclusive inter-Burundian dialogue, and reiterated the AU and UN full support to the mediation efforts led by President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda.

The Chairperson of the Commission and the UN Special Envoy also exchanged views on the implementation process of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Region. In this context, they noted that, in spite of the progress made to date, a number of challenges still remain to be addressed. They concurred on the need to review and revitalize the implementation mechanisms of the PSC Framework, including the Regional Oversight Mechanism which brings together the Heads of State and Government of the signatory countries of the PSC Framework. They agreed on the need for the AU and the UN, together with the other Guarantors of the PSC Framework, to make renewed efforts to this effect, in order to successfully achieve the objectives of the PSC Framework.

Lastly, the Special Envoy and the Chairperson of the Commission discussed the ongoing preparations for the Private Investment Conference in the Great Lakes Region, which is scheduled to be held in Kinshasa, DRC, in February 2016. They acknowledged the importance of the planned Conference, whose successful convening will give further impetus to regional cooperation and development.

 

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