Kigali to probe allegations of plunder of Congo's resources

Rwanda’s foreign minister, Charles Muligande, announced on Wednesday that his government would set up a commission of inquiry to investigate two cases of alleged illegal exploitation of the Democratic Republic of Congo's natural resources by Rwandan companies and individuals.

The inquiry would be established in accordance with a directive from the UN Security Council, he said. He added that the government had instructed the Office of the Prosecutor General to begin investigations.

In 2002, a UN panel of experts issued a report accusing regional governments of running "elite networks" whose grip on the Congo's economy extended far beyond precious natural resources to encompass territory, fiscal revenues and trade in general. Senior Rwandan military officials, businessmen and companies were named in the report.

However, Muligande said that the UN panel had provided "substantial evidence" only on two entities named in the report.

"We asked them to share with us information that could help us carry out our own investigations," he said. "They acknowledged that they lacked concrete evidence on many officials singled out in the report. We were only given information on some two cases which we will soon investigate."

He declined to say whether the two cases mentioned involved individuals or companies. However, unconfirmed reports indicated that the cases involved a company and an individual.

Muligande attributed the delay in carrying out investigations to a delay by the UN panel of experts in providing information to the Rwandan government.

Meanwhile, in what seemed to be a change in tone, Muligande said relations between Rwanda and the Congo were "in the best status" in the last seven years.

He told reporters in the capital, Kigali, that during his recent visit to the Congo, officials from both governments expressed commitment to resolve their differences through diplomatic channels.

Muligande said that the Congo had pledged to work with Rwanda to curb militia groups threatening Rwanda's stability.

He added that the Kigali government promised to support the newly installed national transitional government in the Congo. The two countries have also agreed to reopen embassies in each other's capitals for the first time since 1998, he said.

"We have agreed to constantly exchange information and confront problems together," he said. "The commitment to have dialogue is already a significant step in building our relations".