Zambia Army calls for action on Great Lakes peace deals

By BARNABAS ZULU ZAMBIA Army Commander Lieutenant General Geoffrey Choongo Zyeele has called for verifiable action on peace agreements to address persistent security challenges facing the Great Lakes Region. Lt Gen Zyeele said the region continued to grapple with illegal armed groups, cross-border insecurity and humanitarian crises, alongside emerging threats such as cybercrime and the misuse of artificial intelligence. He was speaking during the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) defence experts meeting at Golden Peacock Hotel in Lusaka. “These persistent threats serve as a reminder that the pursuit of peace, stability and development is a continuous endeavour requiring sustained engagement and collective effort,” Lt Gen Zyeele said. He said agreements signed on paper must translate into practical results on the ground, emphasising the need to strengthen regional security mechanisms. He said Zambia was honoured to have hosted the extraordinary meetings of the Defence Cluster in Livingstone in January this year. Lt Gen Zyeele also commended the joint ICGLR and MONUSCO assessment mission to Uvira in support of ceasefire monitoring. Lt Gen Zyeele called for the full operationalisation of the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM+), the neutralisation of negative forces and stronger cooperation among regional countries. “Peace and stability are collective responsibilities requiring the contribution of all stakeholders,” he said. Lt Gen Zyeele said defence experts had an important role in assessing the security and humanitarian situation in member states, evaluating existing mechanisms and proposing practical recommendations. Meanwhile, ICGLR chairperson Brigadier General Kasenge said the meeting would examine the security situation in member states, particularly the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan. Brig Gen Kasenge said combining intelligence and expertise was essential to developing solutions to stabilise the region. ICGLR Deputy Executive Secretary Yasir Ibrahim Aly Mohammed thanked Zambia for hosting the meeting and supporting regional peace initiatives. He also commended the Democratic Republic of Congo for sending its delegation, despite the complex security challenges affecting parts of the region. Mr Mohammed reaffirmed the ICGLR’s support for African Union efforts to restore peace and stability. The three-day meeting has attracted defence experts from 11 ICGLR member states.

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