FOMIN: BURUNDI TRYING TO REVIVE REGIONAL ECONOMIC

UNCLAS BUJUMBURA 000298 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/C E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON PGOV PINR PREL BY SUBJECT: FOMIN: BURUNDI TRYING TO REVIVE REGIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM REF: BUJUMBURA 277 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: In a June 4 meeting with the Ambassador and Director of Central African Affairs Karl Wycoff, Burundian Minister of External Relations Antoinette Batumbwira: - requested that the U.S. help persuade the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to return to active participation in the Economic Community of the Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL); - expressed her gratitude of continued U.S. support as Burundi enters an era of peace; and - agreed that Tripartite initiatives remain crucial to regional stability. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (SBU) In a brief meeting June 4 with the Ambassador and Director of Central African Affairs Karl Wycoff, Burundian Minister of External Relations Antoinette Batumbwira requested that the U.S. help persuade the DRC to once again become an active participant in the CEPGL. The CEPGL, she explained, is a regional initiative established in the early 1990's to foster economic cooperation and development among the DRC, Rwanda and Burundi. After nearly a decade of inactivity due to regional conflict, Burundi and Rwanda have taken steps to revive the CEPGL, but to succeed the forum needs the DRC to commit to the program. Citing the good relations the USG enjoys with the DRC, Batumbwira said she hoped that the U.S. can convince the Congolese to rejoin the CEPGL and help implement programs to promote regional economic stability. ¶3. (SBU) At its inception, Batumbwira continued, the CEPGL trilateral initiative was an active forum, benefitting the three nations through cooperative projects and the free movement of people and goods across their borders. Noting Burundi's recent accession into the East African Economic Community, Batumbwira said that the CEPGL can become a bridge between the regional initiatives of east Africa and the developing markets of central Africa. In particular, Batumbwira stated, enormous benefits can be reaped in the lucrative coffee and tea sectors through the cooperation of the three Great Lakes nations and its neighbors Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. Without elaborating, she advocated developing cross-border projects which can stimulate economic growth within the region but said that significant progress cannot be realized without the cooperation of the DRC. -------------- FNL -- still a negative force? -------------- ¶4. (SBU) Referring to the May 26 cessation of hostilities agreement between the GOB and the PALIPEHUTU-FNL (FNL), Batumbwira thanked the U.S. for its continued support of Burundi during this "time of hope." (reftel) While also thanking the U.S. for its facilitation role in the Tripartite Plus regional initiative, the Minister said she hoped that the FNL will no longer be considered a "negative force" in the region due to its recent agreement to end hostilities and to implement the cease-fire agreement with the GOB. She did, however, agree with Director Wycoff that the Tripartite Plus mechanism is still necessary for building regional cooperation and promoting information sharing. ¶5. (U) Director Wycoff has cleared this cable. MOLLER