Advertisement

Four protocols key to ending instability in Great Lakes

Saturday January 24 2015

Countries in the Great Lakes are facing political instability and conflicts because they are yet to domesticate four protocols that have a direct bearing on stability in the region.

The executive secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Prof Ntumba Luaba, said members are yet to domesticate the Protocol on Non-Aggression and Mutual Defence, the Protocol of Judicial Co-operation, the Protocol on Prevention and Suppression of Sexual Violence against Women and Children and the Protocol against Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources.

During the Forum of Parliamentarians of ICGLR member states that was held in Nairobi last week to discuss political, security and youth unemployment in the region, Prof Luaba asked the national assemblies to fast-track the implementation of the four protocols.

Of key concern is the protocol on natural resources, which are fuelling conflicts in the region, especially in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and the one on defence, whose lack of domestication has seen some countries cross into territories of member states in pursuit of armed militants for purposes of self-defence.

READ: Smuggled $400m Congo gold fuels war

The defence protocol aims at preventing and resolving internal and inter-state armed conflicts within and between member states, and resolving disputes by peaceful means. The best example is the intermittent tension between DRC on the one hand and Uganda and Rwanda on the other.

Advertisement

Participants at the three-day conference agreed on the need to break the link between instability affecting the region and issues related to illegal exploitation of resources, such as the connection between mineral revenues and rebel financing.

Neutralise negative armed groups

The region is strategizing how to neutralise negative armed groups in eastern Congo such as the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR) and the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), which have been financing their rebellion through illegal exploitation of minerals in the area.

The other issue discussed at the conference was that three member states — South Sudan, Central African Republic and DRC — continue to experience conflict even as the region faces elections in Tanzania, Burundi, Sudan and South Sudan this year.

Prof Luaba noted that the conflicts witnessed in the region are mainly a result of lack of democracy and good governance, lack of legitimate political power and the exclusion of certain categories of the population from strategic state resources.

“While elections are good for extending good governance, in many cases the space for free expression shrinks and dialogue breaks down among various political actors,” Prof Luaba said. “It is therefore important that we stick to and demand clean, free and fair elections and adhere to globally acceptable standards of political management.”

Youth unemployment was also a key topic for discussion. Participants noted that it is a disaster in the making, with the potential of undermining regional economies, threatening the peace and destabilising institutions if it is not addressed.

The secretary-general of the Forum of Parliamentarians, Prosper Higiro, argued that youth unemployment is at the same time a cause and a consequence of socio-political instability, insecurity and conflicts.

Threat to peace and security

Bethel Nnaemeka Amadi, the president of the Pan-African Parliament, cited youth unemployment as one of the emerging threats to peace and security in Africa.

Mr Amadi noted that recent demographic figures show that by 2025, a quarter of the global population of persons under 25 will be living in Africa.

“This youthful population could be a demographic dividend or a disaster in waiting,” said Mr Amadi. “One key response to youth unemployment is increased intra-Africa trade, which has enormous potential to foster economic growth on the continent.

“The current low level of intra-Africa trade is a missed development opportunity given our abundant natural and human resources.”

Advertisement