Peace in the Great Lakes Region: Time for a Regional Approach

The document assesses the chronic instability in the Great Lakes region, specifically the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It argues that while governance failures in the DRC are often blamed, the repressive domestic policies and illicit economic interests of Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi are equally significant drivers of conflict. The author suggests that the presidency of Félix Tshisekedi provides an opportunity to shift regional dynamics, provided the international community demands better governance from all regional actors and supports a comprehensive political dialogue rather than purely military solutions.

• Instability in the Great Lakes region has been incorrectly framed for 25 years as primarily a result of the DRC's governance failures, ignoring the role of other regional governments.
• Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi are heavily involved in the illegal smuggling and processing of Congolese minerals, including gold, tin, tungsten, and tantalum (3T).
• Repressive domestic policies in Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi drive political opposition into exile, often in the DRC, which then fuels the growth of rebel groups seeking to overthrow those governments.
• The 2013 Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework (PSC-F) has maintained regional dialogue but failed to address the root drivers of instability due to a lack of political will and an over-emphasis on DRC governance.
• The international community has historically maintained a double standard by prioritizing regime stability in Rwanda and Uganda over the development of democratic institutions, which has failed to stop the cycle of violence.
• The presidency of Félix Tshisekedi offers a window for regional change, but there is a risk he may continue the opaque arrangements of his predecessor, Joseph Kabila, regarding Rwandan military operations in the DRC.
• Internal Congolese 'spoilers', including high-ranking politicians and military officials, benefit from the illegal resource trade and are likely to sabotage peace efforts that threaten these interests.
• Regional bodies like the ICGLR and SADC have conflicting interests and limited neutrality, with the ICGLR often influenced by its rotating presidency and SADC viewed as an interlocutor primarily for the DRC.

APA

WOLTERS, S. (2020). Peace in the Great Lakes Region: Time for a Regional Approach. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Occasional-Paper-310-Wolters.pdf

Chicago

WOLTERS, STEPHANIE. Peace in the Great Lakes Region: Time for a Regional Approach. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2020. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Occasional-Paper-310-Wolters.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=WOLTERS |first1=STEPHANIE |title=Peace in the Great Lakes Region: Time for a Regional Approach |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=August 2020 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Occasional-Paper-310-Wolters.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wolters2020peace, author = {WOLTERS, STEPHANIE}, title = {{Peace in the Great Lakes Region: Time for a Regional Approach}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2020}, month = aug, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Occasional-Paper-310-Wolters.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }