Heads of Central African Intelligence Services convened in Bujumbura on July 9 and 10, 2026, for a significant regional conference. The meeting gathered top intelligence officials from across Afrique centrale to address pressing security concerns, showing a collective commitment to regional stability. Its primary objective is to pacify the Great Lakes region, a critical step towards fostering enduring peace and security in the area. The two-day gathering provided a key platform for intelligence leaders to share insights and strategize collaborative responses to the complex security landscape facing Central Africa.
Complex Security Challenges Identified
Central Africa grapples with significant and multifaceted security challenges, including persistent armed group activism, the growing threat of terrorism, sophisticated organized transnational crime, and emerging cyber threats. These pressing issues are further complicated and often exacerbated by the profound effects of climate change, which can contribute to resource scarcity and displacement. Officials at the conference noted with concern that external interests in the region's abundant natural resources frequently contribute to conflicts, fueling instability driven by multinational entities seeking to exploit these riches.
Beyond these established threats, new and evolving dangers to territorial sovereignty were identified, including the global arms race and the unregulated deployment of artificial intelligence, which present unprecedented challenges to national security frameworks. The security dynamics of the sub-region are particularly focused on the complex and volatile situations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) and the Central African Republic (RCA), where various armed groups and internal conflicts continue to pose significant threats to civilian populations and regional stability. These specific focal points highlight the urgency of coordinated intelligence efforts.
Addressing Root Causes of Insecurity
Burundi proudly hosted the two-day conference, which operated under the full theme « Sécurité régionale dans un contexte mondial lié au multilatéralisme : enjeux et implication pour la région de l’Afrique centrale face à l’insécurité causée par les groupes rebelles et les groupes négatifs armés ». This theme aptly captured the broad scope of discussions, which focused intensively on identifying the core drivers of instability in the region. Among these fundamental root causes of insecurity, participants cited widespread governance flaws, significant deficits in territorial control, deep-seated identity tensions, and the persistent challenge of porous borders as particularly significant factors enabling illicit activities and the movement of armed groups.
The meeting also acknowledged the ambitious Union of African Agenda 2063, a continental strategic framework that aims to 'silence the guns' across Africa by 2030. This overarching objective provides a clear and aspirational target for regional security efforts, emphasizing the importance of long-term strategies to achieve lasting peace and development. By addressing both immediate threats and underlying causes, the conference sought to lay the groundwork for a more secure future for Central Africa.
Calls for African-Led Solutions
Vice-President of the Republic of Burundi, Prosper Bazombanza, delivered a compelling address at the opening of the conference. In his remarks, he strongly advocated for stronger inter-service cooperation and enhanced operational coordination, emphasizing that such collaboration must be founded on mutual trust among Central African nations. Bazombanza powerfully stated that "les maux de l’Afrique ne viennent pas uniquement de l’extérieur" (Africa's ills do not come solely from outside), showing the need for internal reforms and African-led initiatives.
Further reinforcing this call for indigenous solutions, Ildephonse Habarugira, the General Administrator of the National Intelligence Service (SNR) of Burundi, urged the Conference of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) to assume a leading and proactive role in shaping the continent's security agenda. Habarugira emphasized that continental security must be conceived, developed, and robustly built by Africans themselves, noting the critical importance of self-reliance and indigenous expertise in addressing regional challenges effectively. This sentiment resonated throughout the conference, reinforcing the collective determination to forge a secure and stable future for Central Africa.