LAS PIEZAS DEL PUZLE

Project Support for the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR)

Project region 11 ICGLR member states: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia

Regional headquarters: Bujumbura, Burundi, with a branch in Nairobi, Kenya Project partner ICGLR Secretariat and 11 member states

Project term Launched October 2004; ongoing phase: January 2008 to June 2011 Budget EUR 5.7 million (ongoing phase)

Context

Since the mid-1990s, the Great Lakes Region in Africa has been one of the world’s most conflict-prone regions. The countries in this region have now recognised that many of these national or ‘internal’ conflicts have a wider regional dimension. Conflict resolution strategies which focus solely on the national level therefore cannot resolve the causes of instability and insecurity with their potential to trigger violent conflict.

The countries concerned and other stakeholders have therefore launched a comprehensive diplomatic and political process in order to transform the Great Lakes Region into an area of durable peace and security, of political and social stability, and of economic growth and shared development. This process, which is based on an initiative of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, has led to the establishment of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). Viewed from a global perspective, this initiative is comparable with only one other process: the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe (CSCE). Having overcome initial difficulties, the 11 member states signed the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region in December 2006.

The Pact covers a broad range of topics which the 11 member states wish to address jointly through a wide- ranging initiative. Joint regional measures focus on matters of peace and security, democracy and good

governance, economic development and regional integration, as well as humanitarian and social issues. The Pact also deals with cross-cutting issues of relevance to all sectors, such as gender equality, HIV/AIDS, human settlements, environment, and youth. Although driven by heads of state and government at the highest political level, it has, from the outset, been inclusive in nature. For example, it envisages the systematic involvement of government agencies and NGOs, including the private sector, civil society, women and youth, as well as partner organisations such as the UN, the AU, RECs, and neigh- bouring countries.

Project

Within the ICGLR, Germany is one of the active members of the Group of Friends, a forum comprising a total of 28 partner countries and various international organi- sations. Furthermore, Germany has provided direct support for the ICGLR process since late 2004. Besides contributing to the multi-donor trust fund established by the Group of Friends, Germany has provided an advisor for the Special Representative of the Secretary- General for the Great Lakes Region since early 2005, in order to facilitate the development and negotiation of the Pact. The implementation of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region (2006) marks the beginning of a new phase. Germany’s support for the process remains undiminished.

As at: June 2011 F A C T S H E E T : P E A C E A N D S E C U R I T Y Photo: IRIN

The project builds the capacities of the Conference Secretariat and national coordination mechanisms. It supports the establishment of a regional mechanism for the certification of natural resources and promotes transnational development cooperation in the Great Lakes Region. The German project combines a standard approach to technical cooperation aimed at capacity development with financial contributions to regional basket financing, which is administered by the AfDB.

Results

The ICGLR is a broad-based and comprehensive political process. It requires member states and international development partners to learn to adopt a regional and transnational approach in their thinking and action while also utilising and enhancing national develop- ment frameworks. The ambitious goals set within the ICGLR process can only be achieved with patience, perseverance and a long-term view. Nonetheless, although it only started recently, the process has already produced some initial successes. The ICGLR member states are now maintaining diplomatic relations of unprecedented intensity and regularity. They have begun to work together to address some of the most contentious issues – a sign that the ICGLR process has helped to build trust. Furthermore, the members have entered new territory on matters of regional cooperation, such as the joint security management of common borders and joint action to combat the illegal exploitation of resources.

The tangible outcomes of cooperation include the establishment of a regional mechanism for certifica- tion of natural resources and the promotion of border region development, as well as projects for transnational cooperation on security issues. This could open up new opportunities for the use of previously untapped resources in the region – thus benefiting all the countries and their populations. The achievement of these out- comes will depend to a large extent on effective mechanisms to implement the Pact. The efforts to build the capacities of the Conference Secretariat in Burundi and improve the national coordination mechanisms in the 11 member states make an important contribution here.

Contact

Support for the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) GIZ-CIRGL

18 Avenue Patrice Lumumba | B.P. 41 Bujumbura | Burundi

Contact person Markus Wagner T +257 22 21 59 73

F +257 22 22 19 54

E [email protected]

I www.giz.de | www.icglr.org

| The Executive Secretary of the ICGLR, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, during the 2006 Nairobi Summit, Kenya

| Headquarters of the IGAD Secretariat in Djibouti

| Group photo of the heads of IGAD member states during the June 2008 summit meeting

Promoting the Intergovernmental Authority on Development