NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 21 — Kenya and the African Union have called for a stronger, more coordinated regional response to mounting security and humanitarian crises in Africa’s Great Lakes Region, arguing that lasting peace will depend on inclusive governance and greater involvement of women and young people rather than military interventions alone.The appeal was made on Monday as policymakers, diplomats, parliamentarians, civil society representatives, women’s and youth organizations, academics and development partners gathered in Nairobi for the five-day International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Consultative Forum and Great Lakes Round Table Meeting.The forum seeks to strengthen regional cooperation on peacebuilding, governance and economic integration at a time when eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and other parts of the region continue to grapple with armed conflict, humanitarian displacement, violent extremism and cross-border insecurity.Opening the meeting, Principal Secretary for Gender Affairs and Affirmative Action Anne Wang’ombe warned that today’s security challenges transcend national borders and require collective political action.“The region faces an increasingly interconnected web of armed conflict, violent extremism, forced displacement, humanitarian crises, climate-related insecurity, transnational organized crime and gender-based violence,” Wang’ombe said.“These realities call for stronger collaboration, collective leadership and sustained regional action.”She reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to the objectives of the ICGLR, describing the regional bloc as an essential platform for political dialogue, conflict prevention, good governance and sustainable development across the Great Lakes Region.Wang’ombe said experience has demonstrated that military operations alone cannot secure lasting stability, stressing that sustainable peace requires accountable institutions, respect for human rights and inclusive governance that gives women and young people a meaningful role in conflict prevention and peacebuilding.“The consultations provide an important opportunity for member states to evaluate emerging risks, exchange experiences and strengthen coordinated responses to increasingly complex cross-border challenges,” she said.Kenya also highlighted progress in implementing its Third Kenya National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (KNAP III), which aims to strengthen women’s leadership in mediation, peacebuilding and conflict prevention through partnerships with county governments, community peace structures, civil society organizations, youth groups and development partners.Wang’ombe commended the work of the ICGLR Regional Women’s Forum, Regional Multifunctional Youth Forum, Civil Society Forum, Parliamentary Forum and Private Sector Forum, saying they have played a key role in advancing implementation of the ICGLR Pact while supporting regional integration and peace efforts.The call for more inclusive peace processes was echoed by African Union representative on Women, Peace and Security Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, who urged governments to move beyond symbolic representation and ensure women and young people exercise real influence over decisions affecting the region.“The question is no longer whether women and young people should participate. That question was settled long ago,” Mulamula said.“The real question is whether they can influence decisions.”She noted that women and youth continue to bear the greatest burden of conflicts through displacement, disrupted education, sexual and gender-based violence, economic exclusion and limited participation in political processes, despite being among the most effective actors in promoting community resilience.According to Mulamula, women and youth often support displaced communities, facilitate dialogue, provide early warning information and lead reconciliation efforts at the grassroots level.She argued that meaningful participation requires more than representation at negotiation tables, calling for women and young people to have access to resources, institutional authority and decision-making power.She also urged governments and development partners to invest more in grassroots women’s associations and youth networks, arguing that they frequently detect emerging tensions before state institutions and possess valuable local knowledge that should shape regional peace and security policies.“Community organizations must be recognized as implementation partners, not merely invited as participants,” Mulamula said. “Their work must be financed, and their analysis must inform national and regional peace and security decisions.”The Nairobi consultations come against the backdrop of persistent instability across the Great Lakes Region, particularly in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where armed groups, humanitarian displacement, illicit cross-border activities and recurring political tensions continue to undermine regional stability.Delegates said climate-related pressures, competition over natural resources and transnational crime have further complicated the security landscape, reinforcing the need for stronger regional cooperation under the ICGLR framework to address the root causes of conflict and build durable peace across member states.