Belgium approves “Plan of Action” for peace

The Belgian government has approved a 37-page document titled “Construction of Peace in the Great Lakes: An Action Plan”. According to the text, received by IRIN on Monday, the plan underlines three “main challenges” for the region: restoration of the DRC’s territorial integrity and sovereignty; implementation of democratic structures and states mechanisms; and the restoration of basic infrastructure vital to the resumption of economic activity as well as to relief efforts by humanitarian organisations. The action plan focuses primarily on DRC, and includes three guidelines for the country: strengthening development cooperation; unfreezing loans blocked since 1991; and reinforcing actions of preventive diplomacy. However, there is no mention of cancellation of the huge bilateral debt of DRC to Belgium. The plan also puts “a lot of hope” in the inter-Congolese dialogue, and underlines that “the end of the illegal exploitation of minerals like diamond or coltan could assure the Congolese state of new incomes.” With regard to Rwanda, the plan recognises improvement in sectors such as education, justice, agriculture and health, but remains cautious due to the combination in Rwanda of “characteristics of a post-conflict country and of a country at war.” Belgium has not yet resumed direct bilateral aid to Kigali. As for Burundi, the plan notes that “the general situation is of particular concern”, noting the existence of a “huge gap” between the population and the politicians. “The execution of aid programmes to this country is difficult,” it states. The plan stresses two “reference points” of Belgian action in the region, namely the Lusaka and Arusha agreements, but insists that “Africans must find for themselves their own solutions.” After discussion of the plan in the Belgian parliament on Wednesday, it will be presented to the DRC government at the end of the week, when Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, Foreign Minister Louis Michel and State Secretary for Development Eddy Boutmans travel to Kinshasa for Congo’s 41st anniversary of independence.