Juba — The Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) approved, on Thursday in Juba, South Sudan, the deployment of a good‑offices mission to Angola as part of the pacification effort in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The decision, taken during a high‑level session, seeks information from Angolan authorities—particularly President João Lourenço, who is mediating the process—on the implementation of actions aimed at ending the conflict in eastern DRC.
Onyango Kakoba, Secretary‑General of the Parliamentary Forum, praised Angola’s commitment and President Lourenço’s role, stating that the mission’s purpose is to gather more data on the ongoing peace process. Kakoba noted that Angola has offered to send a military contingent to secure areas where M23 forces are stationed and to protect members of the Ad‑Hoc Verification Mechanism following the cease‑fire between government troops and the rebels.
Angola is represented at the 13th Ordinary Session of the Plenary Assembly by a delegation led by Speaker of the National Assembly Carolina Cerqueira. The Angolan delegation highlighted President Lourenço’s mediation in the eastern DRC and announced that 500 military personnel will be dispatched in the coming days to lead the cantonment of M23 forces.
The event, running until 1 April, will see parliamentarians from the region discuss the conflict in eastern DRC, regional peace and security, the fight against terrorism, and natural disasters. The Parliamentary Forum of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region is an inter‑parliamentary organization that brings together national legislators from the twelve ICGLR member states: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, Kenya, Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia.
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