Over 10 defense ministers and chiefs of defence to convene on eastern DRC security crisis

Ministers of Defense and Chiefs of Defence Forces (CDFs) from 12 countries will meet in a three-day conference to address the deteriorating security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The meeting, organized by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), will take place from January 8 to 10, 2026, in Livingstone, Zambia. It will bring together defense ministers and Chiefs of Defence Forces (CDFs) from the ICGLR member states and will be chaired by Zambia’s Minister of Defense, Ambrose Lwiji Lufuma, the Zambian Ministry of Defense announced. The p

Ministers of Defense and Chiefs of Defence Forces (CDFs) from 12 countries will meet in a three-day conference to address the deteriorating security situation in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The meeting, organized by the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), will take place from January 8 to 10, 2026, in Livingstone, Zambia. It will bring together defense ministers and Chiefs of Defence Forces (CDFs) from the ICGLR member states and will be chaired by Zambia’s Minister of Defense, Ambrose Lwiji Lufuma, the Zambian Ministry of Defense announced. The participating countries are Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo, DRC, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Zambia. Many ICGLR member states are also part of the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), both of which have been engaged in efforts to stabilize eastern DRC. The SADC mission has maintained troops in the DRC for two years, following the EAC’s previous deployment. In eastern Congo, fighting continues between the Congolese army and its allies—including FDLR genocide militias, Wazalendo, and Burundi forces, against the AFC/ M23 rebels. Both sides have accused each other of violating peace agreements. On January 2, 2026, the Congolese army was accused of killing civilians in Masisi territory using drone attacks.