Abstract

Human Security and Regional Cooperation: The Addis Ababa Framework Agreement put to the Test of Facts

Nimbwe Tambwe Fidel, Kabamba Makofi Mare

Volume: 16 Issue: 1 2026

Abstract:

The African Great Lakes region remains a hotbed of instability marked by recurrent armed conflicts, particularly in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), despite the signing of the Addis Ababa Framework Agreement in 2013. This text, presented as an innovative institutional response based on regional cooperation and human security, aimed to end the cycles of violence through shared commitments between eleven African states and several international organisations. But the resumption of armed violence in eastern DRC illustrates the fragility of state commitments. Some signatory countries are accused of supporting or tolerating armed groups. Such an attitude undermines confidence in the common process and suggests that national interests take precedence over collective commitment.

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