On 14 November 2025, on the sidelines of the 9th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), more than 250 public decision-makers, business leaders, financial institutions and technical partners will gather in Kinshasa for a full day of discussions dedicated to economic cooperation in the Great Lakes Region: “High-Level Segment – The Great Lakes in Action: Economic Integration for Lasting Peace – Success Stories.”
Held under the High Patronage of His Excellency Félix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Republic, this meeting reflects the shared commitment of member states to place economic diplomacy at the heart of regional dynamics. It aims to strengthen stability and peace through concrete projects in infrastructure, energy, and agriculture – three major drivers of the continent’s economic transformation.
Jointly organized by the Ministry of Regional Integration and the Public-Private Partnership Council and Coordination Unit (UC-PPP), the event will serve as a platform for dialogue and economic engagement, marking a key step in building a more integrated, competitive, and resilient region. Discussions will highlight several flagship projects, such as the Lobito Corridor linking the DRC, Zambia and Angola to the Atlantic Ocean; the Tanzania-Burundi-DRC railway project supported by the African Development Bank and the East African Community; and the DRC-Uganda road corridor, designed to facilitate cross-border trade and investment.
The meeting will bring together numerous high-level figures, including Téte António, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Angola; Albert Zeufack, Country Director of the World Bank for Angola, Burundi, the DRC, and São Tomé and Príncipe; Alexis Gisaro, Minister of Urban Planning and Housing; Julien Paluku, Minister of External Trade; Xia Huang, United Nations Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region; and Éric-Mathieu Rokosse Kamo, Minister of Public Works of the Central African Republic. Also taking part will be Secretaries of State from African regional economic communities, as well as representatives from the African Union, the European Union, the East African Community, and major financial institutions such as AFD and the AfDB. The President of the Republic, or her representative, and the Prime Minister are also expected to attend, underscoring the importance of this gathering.
On the sidelines of the event, a regional digital platform will be launched to enable real-time monitoring of integration projects and promote their results. This tool aims to strengthen transparency, coordination among member states, and trust between public and private partners.
“Our region can only consolidate peace if it creates the conditions for shared prosperity. There can be no lasting stability without economic integration, without roads that connect, without energy that powers, and without trade that builds trust,” declared H.E. Floribert Anzuluni Isiloketshi, Minister of Regional Integration.
This meeting underscores the commitment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the countries of the Great Lakes Region to turn economic diplomacy into a lasting instrument for peace and shared development, within the framework of the Congolese presidency of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
