AFRICAN LEADERS SIGN AGAINST ILLEGAL EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

Kabinga Pande - read communique

By Globe Reporter
AFRICAN leaders who attended the just ended International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) have signed a declaration against illegal exploitation of natural resources in the region.
Zambia’s foreign affairs minister Kabinga Pande read the communiqué on behalf of the heads of state and government at Lusaka’s International hotel, the venue of the conference.
In their communiqué, the African leaders agreed to fight against the illegal exploitation and trade of natural resources.
Earlier, President Rupiah Banda asked all African leaders to assist in the fight against the illegal exploitation of natural resources.

“This summit is the best way to eradicate the scourge of illegal exploitation of, and trade in, natural resources. Our aim is to achieve sustainable peace, security, stability and development in our region,”
President Banda said. “We are all aware that our regional initiative can achieve its expected results only if it is complemented by other existing regional and international initiatives. For this reason, the ICGLR will collaborate with other regional organisations to ensure that its initiative complements other endeavours to tackle this problem.”

The conference was attended by DRC President Joseph Kabila, Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki, Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete, Congo-Brazzaville’s Denis Sassou-Nguesso, Burundi’s Pierre Nkurunziza, and Prime Ministers of Gabon, Central African Republic, Angolan Vice-President Fernando da Piedade Dias dos Santos and ministers representing Presidents of Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda and Egypt among other dignitaries.
11 heads of state and government of the ICGLR came together in 2004 and have since worked to resolve conflicts and instill governance and accountability across the Great Lakes Region.
ICGLR Member States are: Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Soudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.