By William Madouk
The 25th meeting of International Conference of Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) audit committee commences in Juba with focus on accountability, transparency and oversight in the Great Lakes region.
The 3-day audit meeting precedes the Great Lakes ministerial summit against illicit exploitation of natural resources scheduled for 4th-5th November.
A regional forum on mineral value addition and cross-border trade, is expected to follow, on 6th -8th November.
During opening, the Director General at the Ministry of Mining, Eng. James Kundu, who officiated as the guest of Honor, welcomed the delegation.
“I am aware that South Sudan is not yet a member of ICGLR audit committee but in future we will make sure that we fulfil the requirement of supplication mechanism so that we become a full member of the committee.” he added.
He urged the participants to have productive discussions and spend a peaceful time in South Sudan.
Meanwhile, Mr. Philip Kilpangat – vice chair of the ICGLR audit committee said “these three days offer us the chance not only to strengthen our strategy but also renew our shared commitment to accountability and responsible resource management.”
“Today we start with a comprehensive look at our third audit party updates from across DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. These updates give us valuable insights into where we stand and where we need to push forward,” he added.
He added that in the following days, the participants would “turn our attention to the corrective action plans for the South Kivu and key focus that speaks to our commitment to the consistent standards.”
He encouraged all to bring their full expertise to the table as discussions shape practical, on-the-ground improvements that impact the lives of many.
“On our final day, we’ll be accrediting new audit firms and the existing step forward expanding our capacity, bringing fresh perspectives and additional resource strengths to our ability to deliver on the ICGLR mission and respond to our region involvement needs,” Mr. Kilpangat states.
He lauded dedicated partners such as GIZ and the Ugandan Union for unwavering commitment and technical and resource support.
Ms. Scholastica Mwau-Kuligha, ICGLR Internal Auditor, who represents Great Lake Executive Secretary cited: “I am pleased to report significant progress in our third-party audit implementation across the region.”
“The Committee has successfully completed corrective action plans for nine audits of South Kivu province, while three additional audits in Tanganyika province are approaching completion,” she added.
She cited that this substantial progress marks a significant milestone in strengthening regional certification mechanism, which remains the cornerstone of the fight against the illegal exploitation of resources.
ICGLR is an inter-governmental body that brings together 11 countries in an attempt to bring about sustainable peace, security and development.
It was founded in the 1990s at the time of conflicts in DRC and the 1994 Rwanda genocide. Its members are Burundi, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, DRC, Kenya Uganda, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Angola and South Sudan.
In October last year, ministers from the Great Lakes region met in Nairobi to draft a plan to combat the illicit trade in minerals. Part of the strategy included plans to harmonize laws, formalize the mineral sector, increase transparency and create a database to trace the origin of minerals.