The Great Lakes Region, encompassing Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, north-eastern DRC, and north-western Kenya and Tanzania, has witnessed some of the worst conflicts on the African continent. These conflicts are rooted in long-standing tensions over ethnicity and citizenship rights, which are in turn related to grievances over access to resources, particularly land but also mineral and other natural resources.

The objective of this study is to identify the drivers of conflict and instability in the region; to  explore possible measures to address these drivers, with a focus on advancing development in the region; and to identify means of implementing them. This will help to support the UN and other development partners to identify challenges and opportunities and to prioritize areas for development, while avoiding the mistakes of past peace initiatives.