THE two-day conference of International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Ministers of Justice and Experts Meeting on Legal Harmonisation of ICGLR Protocols has closed in Livingston.
Zambia’s Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula urged the 12 member states of the ICGLR to implement the agreed resolutions to a accelerate the transformation of the region into an oasis of peace and security
Dr Simbyakula said the fact that all member states were represented at the conference in Livingstone was a manifestation of commitment each of the member states had individually and collectively to transform the region.
He was speaking in Livingstone at Avani Victoria Falls Hotel yesterday during the official closing ceremony for the conference.
“It was an honor for us Zambian Government and the people of Zambia to host the conference.
“What remains now is for all member states to implement what we agreed here so that we accelerate e the transformation of our region into an oasis of peace and security,” Dr Simbyakula said.
Chairperson for the just ended conference, Antonio Bente Bembe, urged member states to prove to the world that Africa had maturity and a sense of responsibility to address its problems.
Mr Bembe, who is Angola Secretary of State for Human Rights, said there was need for member countries to put to an end the historical shame that Africa and other continent had.
And reading out the communique, ICGLR executive secretary Numb a Luaba said delegates resolved to adopt the domestication road map 2015 to 2018 developed by the national coordinators and legal focal points.
Prof Luaba said delegates resolved to speed up and complete the domestication process of the Protocols especially the four priority protocols.
The four priority protocols are non – aggression and mutual defence in the Great Lakes Region, judicial cooperation, prevention and suppression of sextant violence against women and children and the protocol against the illegal exploitation of natural resources by 2016 and the domestication process of the remaining protocols by 2018.
Prof Luaba said the meeting expressed it’s pound gratitude to the Government of Zambia and the people of Zambia for warm welcome a d hospitality extended to all delegations.
Zambia’s Republican Vice President Inonge Wina officially opened the conference on Tuesday.
