Senators mull EU diplomacy trip

The Senate’s standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Security is preparing for a diplomacy trip to the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, in November The visit, according to Sen. Jean-Damascène Bizimana, the chairperson of the committee, has pushed forward plans for similar engagement in the context of the Economic Community of Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL), which was planned for November. “The CEPGL session had been planned for November, but it will be held in December. We are focused on Brussels now and our working document could be approved Friday (today),” said Bizimana. Besides cultivating ties with the European legislative assembly, Bizimana said they will also use the visit to engage their counterparts in the Belgian Lower House and Senate on various issues. “With the EU parliament, we will discuss Rwanda’s development programmes and the nature of regional challenges, and vision. This is because we know many in the EU are fed lots of lies by detractors and NGOs with a negative agenda,” said Bizimana. The senator said their visit to Belgium is reciprocal following the visit here, in July, of a delegation of four Belgian lawmakers. At the time, the Belgian lawmakers, among others, said Rwanda should not hold talks with the DR Congo-based Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda militia because the group is composed of elements responsible for the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Preparatory work by the committee on the CEPGL legislators’ round-table previously set for November has been temporary put on hold. CEPGL relevant Bizimana said the CEPGL round-table is an annual session that examines progress on regional development projects as well as security matters. The December session, he said, will consider an ongoing road construction project linking Rwanda, Burundi and DR Congo. The road is expected to ease travel and trade between the three neighbours. There are also other planned energy and power projects. Despite the regional instability that often threatens to hamper cohesion in the three-state bloc, the Senator believes the CEPGL remains relevant. Bizimana added: “It has had its share of problems but it is important that people meet and discuss them. The CEPGL is very beneficial to our three countries as they have a common history and problems – look at the case of the Congo which harbours the FDLR. If the CEPGL works well, it will always provide remedies for problems. We cannot give up on it.” According to Bizimana, the challenges are “not insurmountable.”

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Senators mull EU diplomacy trip