President  Hichilema Urges Great Lakes Region to Prioritise Economic Integration

President Hakainde Hichilema has called on Great Lakes countries to shift from resolving conflicts after they erupt to preventing instability through economic growth, cross-border trade and regional integration.

Speaking at the opening of the 20th Ordinary Session of the Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee (RIMC) of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) in Lusaka today, Mr. Hichilema said poverty, economic exclusion and youth unemployment remained among the underlying causes of regional instability.

He urged member states to replace conflict with development and ensure the organisation delivers practical results rather than relying on routine dialogue.

Mr. Hichilema also called for stricter regulation of mining activities to prevent resource-related conflicts, outlining four priorities: legalising and regulating mining operations, protecting workers and the environment, formalising artisanal and small-scale mining, and securing mining sites against armed groups and criminal networks.

He specifically called for an end to the use of mercury in gold processing, warning of its potential harm to shared water bodies and local livelihoods.

On regional trade, the President advocated 24-hour border operations to facilitate commerce and maximise the use of transport infrastructure. He cited the Lobito, TAZARA and Walvis Bay corridors as strategic routes that should support wider economic activity, including agriculture, manufacturing and electricity trading.

Mr. Hichilema also reiterated Zambia’s agricultural production ambitions under the Grow Zambia agenda, targeting annual output of 10 million tonnes of maize, three million tonnes of soybeans and one million tonnes of wheat.

He said increased production should benefit the wider region, urging regional procurement institutions to source surplus food from neighbouring countries before turning to overseas markets.

The President further challenged member states to mobilise investment within the region through joint ventures and cross-border investment, rather than relying primarily on capital from Europe, the Americas and Asia

Speaking at the same event, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mulambo Haimbe said the Great Lakes region’s vast natural resources, fertile land and youthful population offered significant economic potential, but this continued to be undermined by armed conflict, humanitarian crises and the illicit exploitation of minerals.

Mr. Haimbe said the 20th anniversary of the ICGLR Pact should serve as a call for member states to turn political commitments into concrete action through stronger implementation, realistic decision-making and respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

Democratic Republic of Congo Minister of Regional Integration Floribert Anzuluni Isiloketshi  urged Great Lakes countries to prevent their territories from being used to destabilise neighbouring states or fuel proxy conflicts.

Mr. Anzuluni, who chairs the Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee (RIMC) of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), said respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity was essential to achieving lasting peace and stability in the region.

He called for stronger regional cooperation to prevent cross-border threats, stressing the need for member states to uphold commitments that safeguard regional security.

Mr Anzuluni also called for the operationalisation of early warning systems to enable countries to identify emerging threats, share information and respond to potential conflicts before they escalate.

He said effective early warning mechanisms were critical to strengthening preventive diplomacy and ensuring that regional security commitments translated into practical action.

African Union Special Envoy to the Great Lakes region Sghair Ould M’Bareck  said the regional body needed to move beyond its role as a consultative forum and become a more effective mechanism for addressing armed conflict, insecurity and humanitarian crises.

He said strengthening the ICGLR’s authority, operational capacity and political influence was essential to bridging the gap between diplomatic commitments and enforcement.

Mr. M’Bareck urged member states and international partners to support reforms that would strengthen regional conflict-resolution mechanisms, saying lasting stability depended on collective backing for African-led peace initiatives.