Congo-Kinshasa: Special Summit on DRC to Be Held

11 August 2009

LEADERS from the Great Lakes region have agreed to hold a special summit on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at which United Nations (UN) envoys will brief them on the security situation in the war-torn country.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a one-day summit in Lusaka yesterday, the leaders also supported the efforts towards peace made by UN envoys, former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanja and the former president of Tanzania Benjemin Mkapa.

"It was resolved that a summit be convened by the DRC as soon as possible, at which the report of the facilitator will be discussed.

"The summit, which would be held in the DRC will also discuss joint military operations against the LRA, by the Central African Republic, DRC, Sudan and Uganda," the Heads of State said.

The summit, attended by presidents Banda, Kenya's Mwai Kibaki, Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and Yoweri Museveni of Tanzania, supported calls made by General Obasanjo and Mr Mkapa for donors to hold a pledging conference on security sector reform in the DRC.

Burundi vice-president, Yves Sahinguvu, Central African Republic Prime Minister, Faustin Toundera and ministers from Angola, Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Sudan represented their Heads of State.

Regional leaders noted at the summit, where Kenya handed over the chairmanship to Zambia, that the FDLR, Interahamwe and LRA remained the root cause of insecurity in eastern DRC, Central African Republic, Rwanda Sudan, Uganda and the region.

The summit commended ICGLR member States for ratifying a pact signed to boost security, stability and development in the region.

The third summit of the international committee of the Great Lakes region (ICGLR) welcomed the positive developments that had taken place to restore peace, stability and democracy in Burundi.

Meanwhile, donors yesterday pledged support for well-designed programmes and focused proposals aimed at fighting the illegal mineral trade, gender-based violence and the region.

Netherlands Ambassador to Zambia, Harry Molenaar said during the opening of the summit that his country and other friends of the Great Lakes region were ready to help the region get back on the path to development.

At the same occasion, European Commission (EC) head of delegation, Derek Fee said the EC would support efforts aimed at eliminating the illegal exploitation of resources in central Africa.

Copyright © 2009 The Times of Zambia. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com).