Human Security and Development the Great Lakes Region of Africa RL Vol XIII No 557 MMXIX

Human Security, Stability, Resource

Management & Development in the Great Lakes Region of Africa (Bujumbura – 2009)

A Sub-region haunted by its Wealth of Natural Resources & The Donor Round Table Conference that Grassed the Great Lakes Despondently

Public Lecture Respublica Litereria - RL Vol XIII No 557 MMXIX

Costantinos Berhutesfa Costantinos, PhD

Former Chairperson of AU Anti-Corruption Advisory Board &

Professor of Public Policy & Sustainable Institutional Reforms

https://addisababa.academia.edu/CostyCostantinos

Abstract

Historically, the illegal exploitation of natural resources has played a key role in triggering and financing conflict in many parts of the Great Lakes Region, a crisis that needs to be confronted as a matter of urgency. In recent years, the region has witnessed orchestrated cross-border pillaging of natural resources, ranging from gold, diamonds, and other gemstones, Colombo–tantalite, or “Coltan” (timber – especially “precious woods”), cultivated crops (coffee and tea), livestock and indigenous flora and fauna (including frogs, butterflies, green parrots, medicinal plants and unique genetic material). One of the main constraints to effective natural resources management is policy failure, weak governance, incompetence, or simply the upshot of political corruption.

River Congo can generate 52,000 megawatts of electricity. Titanic water resource, a benign climate, rich soil and beneath the soil abundant deposits of copper, gold, diamonds, cobalt, Coltan… worth 34 trillion USD are some that should make it one of the world's richest countries. It supplied Uranium used to construct the atomic bomb. DRC can employ African economic migrants that otherwise crowd European borders but colonial corruption have turned it into the world's bloodiest conflict, still rumbling on today

Some of the challenges in the GLR, which relate to the abovementioned emerging trends in natural resource management, include the need for effective coordination within and between states. Moreover, efficient and effective information sharing, conducting on-going awareness campaigns, and the need to provide targeted education and training programmes, in order to ensure effective implementation of compliance regimes. Hence, a Pact encompassing eleven countries of the GLR with a population of close to three hundred million people has been designed. Towards this end, this article outlines programmes developed in peace and security, democracy and good governance, economic development and regional integration, humanitarian action and social development and cross cutting issues in gender, human rights, diseases and environment and climate change. The strategies in the programme documents address the multi-dimensional, multi-sectoral and multi-track input that are required to create the holism enshrined in social and economic development that can only be achieved through the sustainable livelihoods synergy - resilience, economic efficiency, social equitability and ecological stability.

Key words: Great Lakes Region of Africa, gender, violence, peace, security, democracy, good governance, infrastructure, regional integration, economic development, humanitarian action

See paper here or https://www.academia.edu/39710102/Human_Security_Stability_Resource_Management_and_Development_in_the_Great_Lakes_Region_of_Africa_Bujumbura_-2009_RL_Vol_XIII_No_557_MMXIX

The magnitude of violence against women will never be known, 

what is well known, however, are the horrifying stories told by the sufferers. Sexual violence know no boundaries, in both conflict and non-conflict situations, culprits are within families and among those mandated with the protection of the vulnerable - police, military, peace keepers, etc. Costantinos