About the Conference

In November 2004, the eleven Heads of State and Government of the member countries of the International Conference on the Great Lakes region (IC/GLR) unanimously adopted the Dar es Salaam Declaration on Peace, Security and Development in the Great Lakes region in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. In this Declaration they declared their collective determination to transform the Great Lakes region into a space of sustainable peace and security for states and peoples, political and social stability, shared growth and development.
In December 2006, the Heads of State and Government will convene again in Nairobi to sign a Pact on Security, Stability and Development. This Pact will include the Dar es Salaam Declaration, Programmes of Action and Protocols. The Nairobi summit will mark the end of the preparatory phase and usher in the implementation period.

Why an international conference on the Grat Lakes Region, (IC/GLR)?

The organisation of an International Conference on the Great Lakes region (IC/GLR) stemmed from the conflicts and tragedies in the region, especially the genocide in Rwanda and the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) which constituted a threat to international peace and security.

In 2000 the United Nations Security Council, through its resolutions 1291 and 1304, called for an International Conference on peace, security, democracy and development in the Great Lakes region. Later that year the International Conference was established with its joint United Nations/African Union Secretariat in Nairobi, Kenya.

Which are the countries of the IC/GLR?

The IC/GLR groups eleven core countries.
These are Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo (Republic of), Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

There are also co-opted countries.
These are Botswana, Egypt, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe.

What is the main objective of the IC/GLR?

The IC/GLR’s objective is to bring all the countries of the region together, for them to dialogue and agree on a strategy to bring peace and prosperity to the Great Lakes region.

Which are the priority areas of the conference?

The Conference is divided into four thematic areas:

• Peace and Security
• Democracy and Good Governance
• Economic Development and Regional Integration
• Humanitarian and Social Issues.

Apart from these four main themes, the Conference also addresses cross-cutting issues such as Gender, Environment, Human Rights, HIV-AIDS and Human Settlements.

Principal an Mode of operation of the IC/GLR

The process is based on two principles: Ownership by the Great Lakes Region countries and Partnership with stakeholders, in particular the Group of Friends.

The Conference is a process. In June 2003 it brought together the focal points of the member countries for the first time. This gathering charted the path for future meetings in the preparatory stage. The first phase of the preparatory period ended with the Summit of Heads of State and Government in Dar es Salaam in November 2004. It was at this Summit that the Heads of State signed the Dar es Salaam Declaration.

This Declaration established the Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee which was charged with preparing, in each of the four priority areas, selected, concrete and achievable draft Protocols and programmes of action together with measurable objectives. The IC/GLR is not to replace or duplicate existing peace processes and economic, social and humanitarian activities in the region but rather to enhance their impact and develop new ones where there were gaps.

This Committee is assisted by the Regional Preparatory Committee and representatives of the civil society, women, youth and other experts, who in 2005 and 2006 prepared the Draft Protocols and Programmes of Action. These documents will be submitted to the Heads of State and Government in December when they meet for their Second Summit in Nairobi for endorsement.

Who are the partners?

In addition to the United Nations and African Union contributions, a group of 28 countries and ten international organisations and specialised agencies came together and formed the Group of Friends of the Great Lakes region in December 2003. Member countries and organisations of the Group of Friends include Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, the European Union, Finland, France, Gabon, Germany, Greece, Holy See, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America. The body is co-chaired by Canada and the Netherlands. The Group of Friends provides financial, diplomatic, technical and political support to the process.

• Live in a common political and economic space free of wars and violence protected by the respect for the rule of law
• Enjoy their human rights as citizens of the GLR and participate in decision making
• Pursue their personal, family and business life with ease.
• Benefit from their natural resources
• Travel freely with their goods across borders
• Benefit from improved roads and communication networks
• Enjoy improved standard of living
• Attract investments and co-operation from the rest of the world.