UNOAU’s Special Representative of the Secretary-General Parfait Onanga-Anyanga participated in a meeting of the Senior Policy Group, whose objective is to provide overall leadership and strategic guidance on the implementation of the regional strategy on Peace Consolidation, Conflict Prevention and Conflict Resolution from 19 to 20 May. The meeting, which was organized by the Office of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region, assisted by the Resident Coordinator for Burundi, was among others attended by the SRSG of United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, the Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and Resident Coordinators from the countries of the region.

Opening the meeting, the Foreign Affairs Minister of Burundi, Honorable Ambassador Albert Shingiro, welcomed the delegations to Burundi, commended the collaboration between Burundi and the United Nations on matters of peace, security, humanitarian affairs and development, and called for strengthened partnerships to stabilize the region. The participants welcomed the updates on the Heads of State level initiatives, including the Nairobi Conclave, which are aimed at pacifying the region. They also appraised themselves of the peace, security, development, socio-economic and humanitarian situation in the region. They underscored the need to, among others, ensure sustained, coordinated, coherent, integrated and efficient implementation of the strategy, including by linking the Regional Strategy to the National frameworks, including the Common Country Analysis and National Development Plans; rationalize and sequence interventions in light of shrinking resource envelopes; leverage presences of the United Nations, the media, private sector, the diaspora, the academia, and adopt a purposed approach for inclusivity of women and youth.