The Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), H.E. Ambassador João Samuel Caholo, paid a courtesy visit this morning to the newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation of the Republic of Burundi, H.E. Dr Edouard Bizimana (Ambassador).
The Executive Secretary warmly congratulated His Excellency on his appointment and welcomed him in his capacity as a member of the ICGLR Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee (RIMC), the executive body composed of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the ICGLR Member States.
Recalling that Burundi hosts the ICGLR Executive Secretariat, Ambassador Caholo shared some of the challenges encountered during his tenure, particularly the non-holding of regular statutory meetings, which constitute the very essence of the ICGLR Pact on Peace, Security and Development in the Great Lakes Region.
The visit was also an opportunity for the Executive Secretary to advocate for increased resource mobilization in support of refugees. His Excellency the Minister assured that Burundi is actively working, in partnership with humanitarian actors and development partners, to provide the necessary assistance to refugees present on its territory.
Finally, Ambassador Caholo stressed the strategic importance of mineral exploitation and governance for the political and economic stability of the region. This issue will be central to the upcoming ICGLR Secretariat meeting, dedicated to assessing the implementation status of the Regional Initiative against the Illegal Exploitation of Natural Resources.
His Excellency the Minister reaffirmed his full support to the Executive Secretary in carrying out his duties and in following up on the implementation of the Pact.
