The Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations is a dinner and dialogue series that provides unparalleled access to top experts and diplomats for candid discussions of today’s most pressing international issues. Participation is typically exclusive to Diplomat and Ambassador members and their guests, but for one time only, all CCWA members are welcome to attend!

Since 1996, multiple waves of conflict have washed over the eastern areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, destabilizing the region and leading to the deaths of approximately 6 million people. While local ethnic tensions remain a flashpoint for violence, the abundance of natural resources and grave human rights violations have globalized this conflict. To protect its mineral mines, China has supported the Congolese government in the fight against rebel groups. Despite the need for regional stability amidst a staggering number of internally displaced people and millions more who suffer from food insecurity, the role of international security forces has remained inconsistent and controversial.

The Cleveland Committee on Foreign Relations (CCFR) is honored to host Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, senior fellow and director of the Africa Center at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, to discuss the prolonged conflict at the heart of Africa’s Great Lakes region, the forces shaping it, and the road ahead.

Are you a CCWA member interested in attending? Please email Jacob Connell at jconnell@ccwa.org. Diplomat and Ambassador members may register as normal via the link emailed directly to them. Registration will close at 5:00pm on Thursday, May 29.

Please note that due to unforeseen complications with the Mr. Dizolele’s schedule, this program has been rescheduled to June 4, 2025.