Rwanda to host ACP-EU joint Parliamentary Assembly

Rwanda will next month host the fourteenth joint conference of African-Caribbean and Pacific and European Union inter-parliamentary assembly. The ACP-EU joint conference is scheduled for November 14-22 and is expected to draw over 500 delegates from around the world. “we are expecting a big number of delegates to participate in this conference that will address a number of issues; so far 320 people have confirmed their participation and twenty four NGOs have registered for the conference,” Senate president Dr. Vincent Biruta said on Friday while addressing a press conference at the parliamentary building Kimihurura. The one week conference will be held at Serena Hotel and is expected to highlight Rwanda’s success in the past 14 year. The meeting will also among others discuss cooperation between countries, financial assistance to the least developed countries, and conflicts in the Great Lakes Region. Biruta said, “Rwanda will showcase the role of Gacaca jurisdiction in conflict resolution and reconciliation; ensuring proper public health and poverty reduction and tourism promotion.” He added that other issues to be discussed include different rebel groups in the D R Congo jungles, climatic change and investing in Africa. The Speaker of the Lower Chamber of Parliament, Alfred Mukezamfura said Rwanda will benefit a lot from the conference, “we expect that investment would increase to a significant level as a result of the conference,” He however added that Rwanda has since April 2004 been negotiating to host the conference, “our requests were turned down several times until we finally succeeded,” Mukezamfura said. The ACP-EU joint Parliamentary Assembly conference is held twice a years; Uganda was the previous country to host it in the region in 1987. The conference will be attended by the ACP-EU joint Parliamentary Assembly co-presidents Glenys Kinnock and René Radembino-Coniquet. Other dignitaries expected to turn up for the conference include: the commissioner of EU in charge of cooperation and Belgian foreign affairs minister Louis Michel, commissioner the EU counsel of Ministers and State Secretary General in charge of foreign affairs M Joao Cravinho.Ends