Defense ministers and army chiefs from 12 countries are set to convene for a three-day high-level meeting to deliberate on the persistent insecurity in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The meeting, bringing together representatives from member states of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), will take place from January 8 to 10, 2026, in Livingstone, Zambia.
According to a statement released by Zambia’s Ministry of Defence, the meeting will be chaired by Zambia’s Minister of Defence, Ambrose Lwiji Lufuma, and will involve defense ministers and chiefs of defense forces from all 12 ICGLR member states.
The countries expected to participate include Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia.
Several ICGLR member states are also part of regional blocs such as the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), both of which have been engaged, in different capacities, in efforts to address the conflict in eastern DRC.
SADC has deployed a military force in the DRC, which has been operating there for the past two years after replacing the EAC regional force that was previously deployed in the conflict-affected areas.
Meanwhile, fighting continues in eastern Congo between the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC), supported by allied groups, and fighters from the AFC/M23 coalition. The conflict remains volatile, with both sides accusing each other of violating ceasefire agreements signed during previous peace efforts.
Tensions escalated further following allegations that Congolese forces carried out drone strikes on January 2, 2026, in the Masisi territory, which reportedly resulted in civilian casualties. The incident has drawn renewed attention to the humanitarian and security challenges facing the region.
The upcoming ICGLR meeting is expected to assess the evolving security situation, explore coordinated regional responses, and reinforce diplomatic and military cooperation aimed at restoring stability in eastern DRC.
