"Since the early 1990s the African Great Lakes region –  defined here as the Democratic Republic of Congo  (DRC), Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania – has  been convulsed by genocide, civil wars, inter-state  conflict and flawed democratic transitions.
"For over two decades, the African Great Lakes area – encompassing the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, and Tanzania – has been wracked by mass violence, interstate strife, and failed democratic reforms."