Special Envoy of the United Nations Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region Xia Huang (Front) attends a UN Security Council meeting on the Great Lakes Region, at the UN headquarters in New York, on Oct. 3, 2019. Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region Xia Huang on Thursday expressed optimism over recent developments in the region. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region Xia Huang on Thursday expressed optimism over recent developments in the region.
Speaking at a Security Council meeting on the Great Lakes Region, Xia said that the region is resolutely moving forward toward stability, with important steps made to implement the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Region.
He lauded Uganda and Rwanda in particular for making strides in rapprochement, and Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo for facilitating dialogue in the region, as well as Burundi, Uganda and Rwanda for talks toward strengthening cooperation in countering armed groups.
"There is now a golden opportunity to address the root causes of instability in the region, which must be seized by strengthening regional cooperation to permit the populations to benefit from the region's wealth," he said.
To that end, he said, all stakeholders in the region must focus on accelerating development programs and regional integration, so it will be able to engage in a proactive approach to stability.
Intensified action must be taken against local armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to counter their illicit trade in resources and harm to communities, he said, adding that justice, greater equity and more respect for human beings must be promoted.
Photo taken on Oct. 3, 2019 shows a United Nations Security Council meeting on the Great Lakes Region, at the UN headquarters in New York. Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region Xia Huang on Thursday expressed optimism over recent developments in the region. (Xinhua/Li Muzi)
