CEPGL legislators to discuss regional security

KIGALI - An imminent meeting between parliamentary Speakers from member states of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) will focus on regional insurgences. The meeting, that takes place next week from February 8 to 9, will attract parliamentary heads from Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This was disclosed Tuesday by both the Speaker Rose Mukantabana and Dr Vincent Biruta, president of the Senate, in a joint press conference at parliamentary buildings. Biruta explained that regional security is one of the critical issues during the meeting and that Rwanda’s Minister of Defence, James Kabarebe will discuss security status in the region. “It is true that security is a major regional concern. New groups are coming up in addition to old ones, all members have expressed willingness to address the problem” Biruta said. It is said that most of the insurgent groups mainly operate in DRC to destabilize all the three countries. Others key issues to be discussed are the loopholes in the organization’s institutions like its Bank (BDGEL), the Agricultural Research Institute (IRAZ), and Great Lakes International Power Company (SINELAC), all performing poorly. “We intend to discuss with our partners to ensure that all these loopholes are ironed out,” said Mukantabana, adding that some of the issues like non-payment of contributions by some partner states will also be discussed. It is said that Rwanda is the only member state that has fully honoured its contribution to the regional bloc. Apart from parliamentary speakers of all three members, each legislative body will be represented by other ten parliamentarians. The Belgian parliamentary speaker will also attend as an invitee due to the role of Belgium in supporting the re-establishment of the regional body financially. The meeting will be the third of the kind following similar ones in Bujumbura and Kinshasa. Ends

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CEPGL legislators to discuss regional security