By Mercy Ngoma
Vice President MUTALE NALUMANGO has urged Defence Ministers in the Great Lakes Region to invest in lasting solutions to restore stability in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo -DRC, a crisis she says has persisted for generations.
Speaking at the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region –ICGLR- meeting of Defence Ministers in Livingstone, Mrs. NALUMANGO said the region is rich in natural resources, vibrant cultures, and resilient people, yet continues to experience instability.
She said the extraordinary meeting is a historic opportunity for leaders to rise above divisions, silence the guns, and show that the region is destined not for ongoing conflict but for lasting peace and shared prosperity.
Mrs. NALUMANGO added that although the challenges are real, they do not define the region and are not stronger than the collective will and courage of its people.
She called for the meeting to produce concrete commitments to strengthen regional defence frameworks under the ICGLR pact on security, stability, and development.
Defence Minister AMBROSE LUFUMA said the meeting demonstrates shared solidarity and a common commitment to peace in the region.
He said the Zambian government remains firmly committed to regional and global peace and stability.
Meanwhile, United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, HUANG XIA, said the crisis underscores that no single country can resolve such complex challenges alone and confirmed that the UN will continue to support regional peace efforts.
The meeting was chaired by Democratic Republic of Congo Defence Minister GUY KABOMBO MUADIAMVITA, who called for urgent, practical, and lasting solutions.
