More effort needed to achieve regional stability - UN official says

Despite significant progress in the peace processes in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), much more work needs to done to ensure stability in the Great Lakes region, on official told the UN Security Council on Tuesday. The Assistant UN Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Tuliameni Kalomoh, said advances achieved in the two countries in the past six months had created a new momentum in favour of the holding of an international conference on the Great Lakes region. He made the remarks when he introduced UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's progress report on the implementation of recommendations made by the council's mission to central Africa in 2003. Annan's report reviewed the developments in Burundi and the DRC as well as the proposal to hold the international conference on the Great Lakes region. Despite the installation of a transitional government of national unity in the DRC, more worked remained in the pursuance of objectives of a global accord under which the transitional government was established, according to Annan's report. "A clear prioritisation of the requirements is needed to ensure the success of the transition, including security sector reform, the rule of law, respect for human rights and elections," Annan said in the report. Kalomoh said relations between the DRC and its neighbours were improving, and that the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) of fighters from Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda had proceeded faster than expected. In Burundi, Annan said in the report that the international community's commitment would still be needed as the peace process entered a new crucial phase, following the declaration by the only rebel group, that had not signed a ceasefire agreement with the transitional government, indicating that it was ready to enter into discussions with President Domitien Ndayizeye. Regarding plans for the international conference on the region, Kalomoh said with the launching of a preparatory process in Nairobi in June 2003, the region's core countries had put in place a framework for dialogue and discussion on key issues in coming months. The conference process is expected to come up with policies to ensure that the Great Lakes region can safeguard peace, security, democracy and development. The first summit is planned for November 2004 in Tanzania The core countries of the Great Lakes Conference are Burundi, the DRC, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.