The Vice President of the German Parliament (Bundestag) has pledged her government’s support to ensure peace and security in the Great Lakes Region.

Claudia Benedicta Roth told Journalists after a meeting with the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jeanine Kambanda, that Germany will use its untainted reputation to broker peace in the region.

"Germany can be a bridge builder because we do not have specific interests in the region. We do not have any terrible history in the region. Our interest is to bring neighbours together and help establish peace, unity and reconciliation, stability and security in the region,” she said.

Rwanda has, for the last 20 years called for the disarming of militia group responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, such as the FDLR, who are operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo without success.

Kambanda said much as Rwanda continues to participate in peace initiatives in the region, there are loopholes in security pacts signed under the auspices of international community that hinder progress to attain lasting security.

"It is in that regard that we discussed with Claudia Roth, to inform the German Parliament of Rwanda’s role in ensuring stability in the Great Lakes Region so that Germany may play a role in the United Nations [to voice] Rwanda’s security concerns. We believe that, some issues are not being addressed properly,” said Kambanda.

Before Rwanda, Roth visited RD Congo.

Kambanda called for peace between Rwanda and DR Congo. "We wish to have peace between two countries so that trade continues to prosper, but this will only be made possible by restoring stability between the two neighbours and fighting Interahamwe militias. We asked her to urge Monusco to have a visible role in stabilising regional security while also incorporating Rwanda’s interests,” she said.

Martin Kobler, a German, is the Special Representative for the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco).

Monusco has a mandate to neutralise all negative forces operating in DR Congo.

"We talked about the latest role of Monusco in the disarmament and surrender of FDLR. I am convinced that the people heading Monusco are really dedicated to do all that is necessary for peace and stability in this region, and guaranteed Rwanda’s national security,” Roth said.

Shared regrets

Roth stated that, Rwanda and Germany share a similar regrettable history of Genocide and Holocaust that happened in Germany over 60 years ago. She emphasised that no one should underestimate Genocide.

"Rwanda today is not the Rwanda of 20 years ago. And, no one should underestimate what Genocide means. There are still open wounds and it is important to believe that. There should be no mistrust in the set of democracy Rwanda is trying to achieve; not for its own society but also for the whole region.”