The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) has received a significant boost to its institutional capacity thanks to the German Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ). The contribution of IT equipment and a vehicle was officially presented during a ceremony held on 12th December 2023, which was attended by high-ranking officials, including the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Burundi, H.E. Carsten Hölscher, and the Deputy Head of Mission/Head of Development Cooperation, Netherlands Embassy in Burundi, Mr. Ted Hunink. The ICGLR Executive Secretary, Ambassador João Samuel Caholo, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the ICGLR, Ambassador Yasir Ibrahim Ali Mohammed, and officials from the ICGLR and GIZ were also present at the event.
The handover marks a strengthening of the partnership between the ICGLR and GIZ under the regional project “Cooperation on Peace, Security and Responsible Natural Resource Governance in the Great Lakes Region.” In his speech, Ambassador Caholo, expressed deep gratitude to GIZ, Germany, and the Netherlands for their unwavering support. Samuel Caholo expressed profound gratitude for their support. He stated the assets will “undoubtedly help us serve the people of our region better and improve our operational efficiency” as the Secretariat engages stakeholders to advance its peacebuilding mandate.
Echoing this sentiment, Germany’s Ambassador Hölscher highlighted the equipment delivery as reflecting his government’s continued support of the ICGLR in fulfilling critical regional objectives. He expressed his gratitude to all colleagues involved and the ICGLR leadership for their remarkable efforts to enhance services and positively impact peace and security. Meanwhile, the Dutch government’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote stability and development in the region was reaffirmed by Mr. Hunink.
The Executive Secretary described the ceremony as “not just the delivery of equipment but the strengthening of a partnership” between the institutions. He reinforced the ICGLR’s commitment to continued close collaboration with GIZ, the Netherlands, Germany and other partners towards the shared objectives of stability and sustainable development in the Great Lakes region.
Strengthening Partnerships: ICGLR and GIZ Collaboration Goes Beyond Equipment Delivery
This partnership between the ICGLR, Germany, and the Netherlands is crucial to progress and prosperity across the region. With this handover, the ICGLR is now better equipped to deliver on its mandate of promoting peace, security, and responsible natural resource governance in the Great Lakes region. It is envisaged that this partnership will continue to thrive and yield positive results for the region’s inhabitants.
