In February 2013, 11 nations signed the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region, in a renewed drive to end the recurring cycles of devastating conflict in eastern DRC which impacts stability and development in the Great Lakes area of Africa. On 31 January 2014, two more countries, Kenya and Sudan, became signatories of the PSC Framework. The framework aims to help "address the root causes of conflict and put an end to recurring cycles of violence" in eastern DRC and the Great Lakes Region.

The mandate is:

• Undertaking good offices to strengthen relations between the signatories of the Framework, foster agreements to revitalize the implementation of existing accords that promote regional economic integration and promote the free movement of goods and people;
• Mainstreaming gender as well as women, peace and security perspectives, in particular on conflict-related sexual violence in the good offices functions;
• Assisting in formulating options for the strategic coordination of international support to the signatories of the Framework, particularly DRC, Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda;
• Coordinating international engagement and mobilise public interest in support of the implementation of the Framework, including through the mobilisation of resources; and
• Supporting the Regional Oversight Mechanism (“11+4”) envisaged in the Framework.

More information can be found on the website.