Rwanda not likely to quit International Conference on the Great Lakes Region- ICGLR

By Ferdinand Maniraguha

Rwanda is still in discussion on its wish to quit International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) due to this body’s failure to address security challenges in the region.

Rwanda’s state minister of foreign affairs, Olivier Nduhungirehe echoed the move to leave is not likely given the will shown aimed at resolving security issues.

In September last year, Rwanda announced its wish to leave  ICGLR , alleging the body  have failed to address security problems in the region.

ICGLR was founded in 2008 and was  mandated to bring security, stability and development in the Great Lakes region.

During its formation, the region was a hub of rebel groups mainly operating in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Among the rebels was FDLR which is composed of many who are accused participation in 1994 Genocide against the Tutsis which claimed lives of more than a million in Rwanda.

FDLR is still present on Congo soil.

Last year, Nduhungirehe says Rwanda is considering to quit ICGLR because Rwanda cannot handle to keep spending money in a dormant organization.

Speaking to Pan African Visions’ Ferdinand Maniraguha this week, Olivier Nduhungirehe said they are still in discussion.

“This issue is still in discussion, given the new dynamics of the Trilateral Summit in Kinshasa” he said referring to the summit that brought together President of DRC, Felix Tshisekedi, Paul Kagame of Rwanda and João Lourenço of Angola, In May this year in Kinshasa, DRC.

Nduhungirehe added that those ICGLR members agreed to cooperate to  bring stability in the region.

“ We are going to work together on security issues in the region and if course  ICGLR was given responsibilities by Kinshasa’s communiqué” he said.

ICGLR has 12 members, with Angola as its major donor