Africa's Great Lakes region today has the chance to achieve something that has eluded its war-weary people for several decades. It can silence the guns, boost trust and trade between neighbors, educate millions of out-of-school children, empower women, and create economic opportunities that will help the countries forge a path to prosperity, good governance, and lasting stability.

In the coming days, we will travel to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Rwanda and Uganda to meet the region's leaders and announce a range of specific commitments to accelerate development and consolidate peace. This first-of-its-kind joint trip is rooted in a momentous new agreement: the "Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the region."

The pact was the fruit of a concerted effort among the United Nations, the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, the Southern African Development Community and the African Union. It recognizes that breaking the cycle of catastrophic conflict in eastern DRC demands a new approach.