In February 2013, 11 nations signed the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region, in a renewed drive to end the recurring cycles of devastating conflict in eastern DRC which impacts stability and development in the Great Lakes area of Africa. On 31 January 2014, two more countries, Kenya and Sudan, became signatories of the PSC Framework. The framework aims to help “address the root causes of conflict and put an end to recurring cycles of violence” in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes Region.

The PSC Framework outlines key national, regional, and international level actions required to end the recurring cycles of violence in eastern DRC and the region. It provides space for collaboration between the countries in the region, regional organizations and the international community to work together and address the structural causes of instability in the DRC and the region.

Mandate

The mandate of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes includes inter alia:

Undertaking good offices to strengthen relations between the signatories of the Framework, foster agreements to revitalize the implementation of existing accords that promote regional economic integration and promote the free movement of goods and people;
Mainstreaming gender as well as women, peace and security perspectives, in particular on conflict-related sexual violence in the good offices functions;
Assisting in formulating options for the strategic coordination of international support to the signatories of the Framework, particularly DRC, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda;
Coordinating international engagement and mobilise public interest in support of the implementation of the Framework, including through the mobilisation of resources; and
Supporting the Regional Oversight Mechanism (“11+4”) envisaged in the Framework;
In its Resolution 2098 (2013), the Security Council welcomed the signing of the PSC Framework. It called on the Special Envoy, in coordination with the Special Representative for the DRC to “lead, coordinate and assess the implementation of national and regional commitments under the PSC Framework, including through the establishment of benchmarks and appropriate follow-up measures”.

The Security Council further encouraged the Special Envoy to “lead a comprehensive political process that includes all relevant stakeholders to address the underlying root causes of the conflict”.