US embassy cable - 04KINSHASA1678

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001678 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PINS, PREL, CG 
SUBJECT: DRC NATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE 
UPDATE 
 
1. (U) Summary. The DRC's National Coordinator for the Great 
Lakes Conference (GLC) states that initial contacts with 
civil society groups around the country show that the top 
priority for most people is peace and security. Congolese 
citizens have expressed serious concerns about territorial 
integrity and the insecurity posed by armed groups and unpaid 
soldiers. The DRC is preparing to participate at an upcoming 
regional meeting of national coordinators to the GLC in 
Bujumbura September 6-10, in which members will discuss 
national priorities and the GLC's proposed agenda. End 
Summary. 
 
National Committee Working on DRC's Agenda 
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2. (U) Poloff met with the DRC's National Coordinator for the 
GLC, Baudouin Hamuli, September 1st, to discuss preparations 
for this regional event currently scheduled for mid-November 
2004. The four major themes that the GLC is planning to 
address are peace and security, good governance and 
democracy, economic development and regional integration, and 
humanitarian and social questions. The United Nations, the 
European Union, the African Union, Canada and The Netherlands 
are supporting this event and will be sending observers to 
the conference. 
 
3. (U) According to Hamuli, the DRC's national commission has 
been working with civil society groups from around the 
country to get their input on what ought to be the priorities 
for the Congo at the GLC. Although their work is ongoing, the 
current consensus is that the country should focus on peace 
and security issues. Ensuring the country's territorial 
integrity and preventing a conflict with Rwanda is the top 
security concern. Two other important security concerns 
expressed are addressing the problem of armed groups in Ituri 
and the Kivus, as well as the threats posed by unpaid 
soldiers and the lack of a unified national army. 
 
 
DRC to Participate at Upcoming Regional Meeting in Bujumbura 
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4. (U) Hamuli indicated that the DRC will attend the upcoming 
meeting of national coordinators for the GLC in Bujumbura, 
September 6-10. This will be the first regional meeting in 
which each participating country will discuss its national 
priorities with the goal of formulating a common agenda for 
the conference. Hamuli noted that although the DRC had not 
yet reached a consensus about its national agenda, it was 
nonetheless prepared to discuss its preliminary findings. He 
hopes that the DRC will be able to present its final agenda 
by the next regional meeting, scheduled to take place in 
Kinshasa in October. 
 
5. (U) Hamuli explained that the current core members for the 
GLC include Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Zambia, 
and the DRC. He said that all core members except Rwanda and 
Uganda had also agreed to include Angola and the Republic of 
Congo as additional core members. The Netherlands and Canada 
are the principal financial sponsors of this regional event. 
Although Hamuli expressed a desire for greater U.S. support 
for the conference, poloff reiterated post's previously 
stated concerns over the vast scope of this conference and 
the lack of a concise agenda. 
 
Comment 
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6. (U) Although the concept of a regional Great Lakes 
conference to deal with peace, security, and economic 
development issues is a positive initiative, legitimate 
concerns remain over the wide range of topics the forum seeks 
to cover. As suggested by initial feedback from civil society 
groups, peace and security remain the main concerns for the 
Congolese. The GDRC should attempt to use the limited time 
left before the scheduled November GLC to focus on concrete 
and realistic goals that can help improve national and 
regional security. 
MEECE