President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has officially assumed the chairmanship of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) of the Peace, Security, and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes Region. This important role was formalized during the 12th high-level summit held at State House Entebbe, where Évariste Ndayishimiye, President of Burundi, handed over the instruments of power to Museveni for the next two years.

The PSC Framework, established in 2013 with support from the United Nations, African Union, ICGLR, and SADC, aims to address the root causes of instability in eastern DRC through regional collaboration. President Museveni emphasized the significance of shared responsibility among regional nations in maintaining peace and called for reduced foreign interference. “The conflicts in eastern DRC are rooted in identity politics fueled by foreign actors since the days of Mobutu and Habyarimana,” Museveni stated. He reinforced that African nations should manage their internal affairs, reducing external influence.

Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye congratulated Museveni on his new role, pledging continued support for the peace initiative. The summit saw participation from heads of state and government representatives from across the region, including Uganda, Angola, Burundi, Congo, DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia, all committed to regional stability and peacebuilding efforts.

This leadership move underscores the shared regional commitment to peace and stability in the Great Lakes, while stressing the importance of African-led solutions.