INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON GREAT LAKES REGION OPENS IN LUSAKA

The  eleven National   Coordinators  meeting  on the international  Conference on Great  lakes  region  ( ICGRL ) ministerial meeting  has opened in Lusaka today at intercontinental hotel.

The  meeting  was opened  ahead of the on the ICGRL special  summit   ahead of the  heads of State  of government  under the chairmanship  of  president Rupiah Banda, of Zambia.

It  will  deliberate  on the fight  against  illegal  exploitation  of Natural  resources  on the recent  developments related   to conflict  minerals  in the Democratic Republic of Congo  ( DRC )  including  suspension of mining  active.

The meeting which is secluded to open on the  on Monday 13 the December  to the  15 of December 2010, where

And  summit will also  elect the New   ICGRL executive  secretary ,  and  a Memorandum of Understanding  ( MOU ) between  the Organization  for Economic  Cooperation  and  Development  ( ORDCD )  and  ICGRL.  

Out Going  ICGRL  Executive  Secretary  Ambassador  Liberata Mulamula  said  the special  summit  will provide  an opportunity  to  the regional leaders  to discuss  at length  the illegal  exploitation  of natural resources  and the involvement  of the  involvement  of multinational companies.

Ambassador  Mulamula  noted  that  summit declaration  has reaffirms  the  ICGRL of heads States  and government’s commitment  and determination  to curb the illegal  exploration   of natural  resources  and the  Finacing  of  the  negative  forces   and other key  issues.

Meanwhile  Home affairs  Deputy Minister Gaston Sichilma  noted that member states are fully aware  of the  dire  consequence  of the activities  and the extent  to which they wreak  havoc  in the region.

Mr Sichlima  stressed the awareness should  prompt  member states  to accelerate  the domestication of  the related  protocols  with a view  of ensuring  the  effective  implementation of  the  tools and bringing  an end to armed  conflict  which  has  long plagued  the great lakes region.

During the official opening a moment of silence was also observed  in honor of the  late Zambian Ambassador  Dr  Siteke  Mwale  who died this year .

The ICGRL  was created in 2004  as a response  to the conflict  that ravage  the great lakes  region . with  member states being Angola , Burundi, African Republic , Republic of Congo  the DRC Kenya Rwanda  Sudan  Tanzania  Uganda  and Zambia

ZANIS