GDRC SLOWLY PREPARING FOR GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINSHASA 001366

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.6X.6
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINS PREL CG
SUBJECT: GDRC SLOWLY PREPARING FOR GREAT LAKES CONFERENCE

REF: KINSHASA 414

Classified By: Poloff Gons Nachman for Reasons 1.5 B and D


1. (C) Summary. The DRC's National Preparatory Committee for
the Great Lakes Region Conference (on security, economic
integration and social issues) met for the first time on July
5th to develop a national agenda. Baudoin Hamuli, National
Coordinator, acknowledged that GDRC preparations are behind
schedule and that the President's Office remains divided
about the Congo's participation due to suspicions over
Rwanda's intentions. End Summary.

DRC National Committee Behind Schedule on Preparations
-------------- --------------


2. (U) The first summit of the International Conference for
the Great Lakes Region (IC/GLR) is scheduled to take place in
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in November 2004. This regional
meeting is being coordinated by the Special Representative of
the United Nations Secretary General (SRSG) for the Great
Lakes region, Ibrahima Fall, and it is expected to address
security, regional economic integration, and various social
issues of relevance to the region (reftel).


3. (U) Poloff met with Baudouin Hamuli, DRC National
Coordinator for the IC/GLR July 15. Hamuli said that DRC
national commission for this conference had finally been
created and included 97 members representing various
ministries, the office of the presidency, and all four
vice-presidents. This committee met for the first time the
week of July 5th.


4. (SBU) Hamuli acknowledged that the DRC's preparations for
the conference were behind schedule, but indicated that
commission members would strive to do their best to prepare
the DRC's agenda. Their goal is to have the first draft of
the national agenda in two months and the final draft in
three. Only a core group of 10 committee members is expected
to travel to the November summit.

GDRC Remains Ambivalent About Great Lakes Conference
-------------- --------------


5. (SBU) Hamuli said that his office was working well with
the Ministry of Regional Cooperation and the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs in preparing for the conference. Various
other ministries like Social Affairs and Human Rights are
also actively supporting DRC participation in this event.


6. (C) According to Hamuli, Presidential Advisor Andre
Kapanga is now also supportive of DRC participation in the
IC/GLR. However, he noted that Presidential Advisor for
Security, Samba Kaputo, remained skeptical of this regional
conference due to suspicion that Rwanda would try to
manipulate events to the DRC's detriment. In Hamuli's view,
this division within the President's office accounts for the
ambivalent GDRC attitude towards the conference and it also
calls into question the President's attendance at the
November summit.

Comment
--------------


7. (C) GDRC preparations for the IC/GLR are proceeding slowly
and inefficiently. The newly formed national preparatory
commission consisting of 97 participants will be hard to
coordinate and will make it difficult for the GDRC to
formulate a realistic and focused agenda. Moreover, the
continued ambivalence within the Presidency to DRC
participation in the conference hampers preparation efforts
and calls into question the DRC's participation.
SCOTT