Peace dividend must follow peace deal

Sexual violence continues at appalling levels throughout the country, and is regularly used as a weapon of war by armed groups operating in the east. Lack of jobs and opportunities creates a breeding ground for criminality. More than 3 million Congolese have fled their homes for safety, including 2.6 million displaced inside the DRC and 450,000 refugees in neighbouring countries.

The leaders of the Great Lakes region will be the key drivers of peace, stability and economic growth. The United Nations, the World Bank Group, and the entire international community must support them. We pledge that our two organizations will work closely together in new and deeper ways so that implementation of the political and security aspects of the framework agreement goes hand in hand with the economic development that is essential to lasting peace and stability.

By restarting economic activity and improving livelihoods in border areas, by promoting cross-border trade, by steadily increasing economic interdependence, by rooting out corruption, and by ensuring that natural resources are managed for the benefit of all, we can steadily build confidence and improve people's well-being, income, and opportunity.

Other countries have shown that it is possible to recover from conflict and advance towards the Millennium Development Goals.

We are now looking beyond the 2015 MDG deadline to a new sustainable development agenda that will end extreme poverty. Many countries in Africa are taking dynamic strides forward. The people of the DRC deserve their full chance for progress.

A peace agreement must deliver a peace dividend. We owe it to the people of the Great Lakes to help fulfil their long-held vision: an end to conflict, children in school, respect for women's rights, access to healthcare and sustainable energy, and income and opportunity for all.

That is why we are making this visit. We see hope on the horizon for the people of the Great Lakes, and we are determined to help them every step of the way.

Ban Ki-moon is secretary-general of the United Nations; Jim Yong Kim is president of the World Bank Group.