UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday appointed former Irish President Mary Robinson as Special Envoy for the Great Lakes region of Africa.

"Mrs. Robinson will play a key role in supporting the implementation of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the Great Lakes region of Africa, by the signatories," according to a statement issued by Ban's spokesperson. 

Signed in February by Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Congo, the DRC, Rwanda, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia, the framework agreement aims to stabilise the situation in the DRC.

Robinson, who served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997 to 2002, will bring to her current position over four decades of political and diplomatic experience, the statement added.

Robinson was President of Ireland from 1990 to 1997 and a member of the Irish Senate from 1969 to 1989.

In a statement, Robinson appreciated the appointment.

"I am honoured that the Secretary-General has entrusted to me this important responsibility, to which I am already focusing my energies.”