Regional body to promote security among member

WESTERN PROVINCE RUBAVU — The executive secretary of the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL) Gabriel Toyi has said that the organization has committed itself to ensure peace and security in its member states. The member states are Rwanda, Burundi and DRC. Toyi said this while concluding a two- day workshop on ways of improving security in the member states especially DRC and Burundi, where the security situation is still volatile. The meeting held at Peace Land Hotel in Gisenyi brought together CEPGL representatives from the three countries, delegates from the European Union and the European Commission in the DRC. It was also meant to discuss the regional body’s future plan on matters of restoring peace and security. The meeting laid down recommendations which will be adopted by ministers and other representatives of the three countries in a subsequent meeting slated for July 2008 in Burundi’s capital Bujumbura. “We have formed various commissions that will be responsible for promoting peace in the three CEPGL member states through dialogue between the armed forces and the governments. We believe the current rebel activities in some of the member states can be resolved on a round table rather than the use of weapons,” Toyi said. The commissions include the Demobilization and Integration Commission, Organization of Peace and Security, and the Commission in charge of Migration. Toyi said that in a bid to restore peace and security the commissions will play a role of fostering negotiated settlement between dissident forces and the Burundi and DRC governments. Epimaki Nsanzurwanda, CEPGL official in charge of peace, security, democracy and good governance, observed that improving security in the three countries requires cooperation between the three governments in the demobilization process. Nsanzurwanda stressed that dialogue can lead to demobilization of the rebel forces such as FDRL in DRC and the Burundian National Liberation Forces (FNL). Nsanzurwanda reiterated the resolution reached in their previous meeting to start issuing travel documents including passports to nationals of the three countries before the end of this year. Ends