Draft agenda for inter-Congolese dialogue

The inter-Congolese dialogue talks bringing together government representatives, opposition groups, splintered rebel groups and civil society members - including tribal militia representatives, church groups, unions and women's groups - from all walks of life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo opened on Monday, 25 February in Sun City, South Africa. The talks are expected to last 45 days. The draft agenda for the meetings, as published by the Office of the Facilitator for the inter-Congolese dialogue, is the following:

1. Validation of delegates mandates.

2. Formal adoption of the Rules of Procedure.

3. Adoption of the Agenda.

4. General Statements.

5. End of the war:
a) Assessments: causes and consequences
b) Disarmament of armed groups
c) Assessment of the withdrawal of foreign troops
d) Assessment of the level of compliance of signatories parties to the Lusaka Agreement
e) Cost of the two wars: 1996-1998
f) Peace and security in the DRC and in the subregion. International conference on peace in the Great Lakes region
g) Peace agreement involving the belligerent countries
h) Institution of the international tribunal for the Congo

6. The new political dispensation in DRC:
a) The new political dispensation in the DRC, in particular the institutions to be established for good governance purposes in the DRC.
b) Re-establishment of the State’s administrative authority over the entire territory.
c) Transitional constitution
d) Nationality
e) Post-electoral draft constitution

7. New National Congolese Army:
a) Formation of a new Congolese national army whose soldiers shall originate from the Congolese Armed Forces, the armed forces of the RCD [Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie] and armed forces of the MLC Mouvement de liberation du Congo]
b) Identification of Congolese nationals before the formation of the new army
c) Formation of Security and Police services
d) Formation of Civil protection services
e) Demobilisation and reintegration of child soldiers and vulnerable persons
f) Mechanism for the integration of Mayi-Mayi in the Army and the Police

8. Reconstruction:
a) Examination and assessment of the validity of economic and financial conventions signed during the war
b) Examination and assessment of validity of administrative, legislative and regulatory acts promulgated during the war

9. Urgent basic economic and social programme:
a) Compensation measures for the environment destroyed by the war

10. National Reconciliation:
a) Truth and reconciliation
b) Ethnic coexistence
c) Protection of minorities
d) Establishment of principles pertaining to nationality

11. Guarantees for a successful ending:
a) Involvement of international witnesses

12. Elections and Electoral Issues:
a) Independent electoral commission

13. Adoption of Resolutions.

14. Closing Speeches.

15. Signing of the final document.