Commissions make little progress

A senior member of the peace talks facilitation team, Mark Bomani, has said the Arusha process is “irreversible”, according to the Hirondelle news agency. Speaking at the end of the commission meetings, he acknowledged however that some of the commissions had made little progress. The commission looking into the nature of the conflict remained “blocked” on the question of genocide, while the commission on democracy and good governance “required more time” as it had “the most difficult text to issue”.

The duties of this commission include producing a constitutional draft and defining the electoral system and transitional institutions. The third commission on peace and security still has to reach agreement on cessation of hostilities and integration of rebel forces into the national army. Hirondelle said the facilitators admitted these were tricky issues, given that the rebel fighting forces had not attended the peace talks. According to Bomani, the fourth commission on reconstruction and economic development had “almost completed” the points on its agenda.

Delegation heads were due to meet again next month.