The African Union and the United Nations discuss the situation in the Great Lakes Region

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, November 10, 2014/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- As part of their efforts to advance the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Region, the Commissioner for Peace and Security of the African Union (AU), Smail Chergui, and the Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Said Djinnit, today met in Addis Ababa.

The meeting provided an opportunity to take stock of the implementation status of the PSC Framework and the efforts aimed at promoting lasting peace, security, stability and development in the Great Lakes Region. Discussions also focused on the preparation of the next meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism, scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa in January 2015, on the margins of the AU Ordinary Summit. In this regard, the AU and the United Nations underlined the important role of the Guarantors of the PSC Framework (the AU, the UN, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region - CIRGL and the Southern African Development Community - SADC) and the need for their active involvement in the preparatory process.

It should be recalled that the Regional Oversight Mechanism is the body responsible for monitoring progress in the implementation of the PSC Framework. Since its establishment, on 24 February 2013, the Mechanism has met five times, in Addis Ababa and New York, alternatively.