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 9 November 2009
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Relations in the Great Lakes region improving, says UN envoy

09/11/2009

The UN Special Envoy of the Secretary General on the Great Lakes Region, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday, told the Security Council that peace and security in the Great Lakes region was improving

Obasanjo reminded the Council how fractured relationships in the region were in the past, when Rwandan President Kagame and Democratic Republic of Congo's Kabila would not shake hands, nor speak to one another.

Olusegun Obasanjo

Olusegun Obasanjo

"In my recent meetings with both President Kabila and Kagame, they have separately reassured me they are very much on speaking terms. But only they will know how deep the relationship really is. I believe that the restoration of full trust between peoples of the two countries would take sometime longer. Confidence once broken will take time to mend".

The former Nigerian Head of State says dramatic transformations have taken place since his appointment, but believes many of the underlying problems persist in region due to the weakness of governance institutions and of the armed forces in particular.

Jocelyne Sambira, United Nations
(duration: 1'11")

Sound bites

Olusegun Obasanjo, UN Special Envoy of the Secretary General on the Great Lakes Region

"In my recent meetings with both President Kabila and Kagame, they have separately reassured me they are very much on speaking terms. But only they will know how deep the relationship really is. I believe that the restoration of full trust between peoples of the two countries would take sometime longer. Confidence once broken will take time to mend".
Duration: 34 secs

Olusegun Obasanjo, UN Special Envoy of the Secretary General on the Great Lakes Region

"A further concern remains. What we have successfully treated are mainly the symptoms. Most of the underlying ailments that have led to repeated crises in the region still need to be addressed without dealing effectively with the underlying issues, peace can neither be durable nor irreversible. One of those ailments is the continued weakness of governance institutions and the armed forces in particular".
Duration: 37 secs

Olusegun Obasanjo, UN Special Envoy of the Secretary General on the Great Lakes Region

"The humanitarian situation has greatly improved, many IDPs are now returning to their homes. The CNDP no longer exists as a political military organization. The threat to regional peace posed by the armed groups, in particular the FDLR has been considerably reduced and there has been a notable warming in regional relationships."
Duration: 29 secs