PRESIDENT Rupiah Banda yesterday held a closed-door meeting with former president of Burundi Jean-Baptiste Bagaza, where they discussed various issues affecting the Great Lakes Region.

President Banda, who is chairperson of the International Conference on Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), met with Mr Bagaza at State House ahead of the Heads of State and Government Round Table Conference to be held next month in Burundi.

President Banda thanked Mr Bagaza and his delegation for briefing him on the security situation in the Great Lakes Region.

Mr Banda said he would do everything possible as current chairperson of the ICGLR to help in finding a lasting solution to various conflicts in the Great Lakes Region.

This is contained in a statement released by special assistant to the president, Press and public relations Dickson Jere in Lusaka yesterday.

Heads of State and Government in the Great Lakes Region would hold a high-level meeting to be chaired by President Banda in Bujumbura, Burundi on November 5 to 6 2009, which is expected to help raise funds for the implementation of the 2006 Pact on security, stability and development.