Member states of the Great Lakes Region have been urged to collectively address the ever emerging challenges to peace and stability in the Great Lakes Region.

This was at the convening of the first workshop by the peace and security cluster of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region on 22nd -25 April , held at the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala .

The workshop aims to achieve a common understanding and consensus amongst stakeholders on the next steps to take in starting implementation of individual projects and protocols under the Peace and Security cluster.

The five-day workshop will review problems of armed rebel groups, armed pastoralists, insecurity along common boarders, proliferation of small arms, light weapons, transnational crimes, terrorism and unexploded ordinances that are crucial challenges for attaining peace, security and development in the region.

"I urge our experts to seize this opportunity and come up with practical modalities to enable us address our outstanding defence and security challenges ,so that we can concentrate on the economic transformation and development of our region , "said Sam Kutesa , Uganda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs who was the chief guest at the official opening.

He added that African Union‘s experiences in Darfur and Somalia have reignited the need to intensify efforts to build and strengthen regional mechanisms to enhance security capabilities.

In her keynote address to the workshop, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, the Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, urged participants- mainly Defence and Security experts from the 11 member states, diplomats and representatives from development to implement the Peace and Security Programme of Action comprising of seven projects and one protocol on Non –Aggression and Mutual Defence.

"This workshop is timely and in this dynamic and fragile region, even a week is a long period to plan for. Events change so fast .The situation in Kenya following the election was an eye opener," she said.

" At a time when we thought countries like Burundi and Uganda were heading for peace in the face of implementing peace agreements and concluding peace talks with rebel groups respectively ,only a few days ago Bujumbura was buzzing again with guns and bombings by FNL –PALIPEHUTU and LRA fails to sign the peace agreement, " she said.

As a response to impacts of instability ,insecurity ,and other regional problems characterizing the Great Lakes Region -namely Angola ,Burundi ,Rwanda ,Uganda ,Kenya ,Sudan ,Tanzania ,DRC ,Central African Republic and Zambia- the Heads member States and Government of the International Conference on the Great Lakes signed the pact on Security ,Stability and Development in the Region in December 2006 in Nairobi ,Kenya.

To date 7 member states have ratified to the pact and the eighth ratification is needed for the pact to enter into force.

Ends