Burundi: Antonio Guterres received in audience by Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye

UN Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Bujumbura, Burundi's economic capital, this Friday to take part in the 11th High-Level Summit of the Regional Monitoring Mechanism (ROM) of the Framework Agreement for Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) for the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Great Lakes Region, scheduled for Saturday, May 06.

The plane of the highest United Nations official landed at Melchior Ndadaye International Airport at 3:30 p.m. local time, where it was welcomed by Albert Shingiro, Burundian Minister of External Relations and International Cooperation.

Upon his arrival, the UN boss went directly to the Ntare House Present Palace, where he was received in audience by Burundian President Evariste Ndayishimiye, at 5:00 p.m. local time.

Also known as the Addis Abeba Agreement, the PSC Framework Agreement was signed on February 24, 2013 through a framework negotiated by the African Union and the UN to promote stability in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

It aims to end the recurring cycles of devastating conflicts in eastern DRC, which have an impact on stability and development in the Great Lakes region.

The PSC Framework Agreement also aims to address the root causes of conflicts in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes region.

Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia were the first signatories to the agreement. Kenya and Sudan subsequently joined the agreement, becoming the 12th and 13th signatories of the Framework Agreement for Peace, Security and Cooperation, respectively.