The Great Lakes region of Africa took a firm step toward peace and sustainable development in late November when a summit of 15 African leaders signed a Declaration on Peace, Security, Democracy and Development.

The Summit was hosted by the Tanzanian President, Benjamin Mkapa, in Dar es Salaam, and jointly organized by the African Union and the United Nations.

It was an exercise in building trust and confidence as well as commitment. The declaration calls for demobilisation programmes and prevention of arms supplies as well as a framework for economic development in a region that covers Burundi, Central African Republic, Congo Brazzaville, DRC, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

The signature of the accord was witnessed by the Presidents of Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.