PREAMBLE

We, Heads of State and Government of the Member States of the International Conference on the Great Lakes,

Referring to the Dar-es-Salaam Declaration on Peace, Security, Democracy and Development in the Great Lakes Region adopted and signed in Tanzania on 20 November 2004;

Bearing in mind the objectives and principles of the United Nations Charter, those of the Constitutive Act of the African Union and those contained in the ICPO-INTERPOL Constitution, and taking into account the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, the Basic Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights;

Considering that in the United Nations Charter the peoples of the world resolved, notably, to establish conditions that would promote justice and international cooperation by fostering respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms;

Reaffirming , in the terms of the Dar-es-Salaam Declaration, the need to respect the fundamental principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the Constitutive Act of the African Union such as territorial integrity, sovereignty, non-interference and non-aggression;

Considering that respect for human rights is a fundamental guarantee against threats to the peace and internal security of States;

Determined to build a Great Lakes Region that is open to other regions of the continent by enhancing cooperation in the following priority areas: peace and security, democracy and good governance, economic development and regional integration, and humanitarian and social issues;

Deeply concerned by the upsurge in crime aggravated by impunity which together exacerbate a climate of insecurity in the Great Lakes Region;

Aware of the particular need for measures to combat impunity at the regional level and to ensure that all persons against whom there is evidence to show that they have committed offences in one of the countries of the Great Lakes Region shall be prosecuted and convicted;

Considering that for this purpose it is necessary for the Member States to extend reciprocal judicial assistance to one another in the matter of extraditing accused or convicted persons;

Considering that in order to facilitate the trial of the individuals referred to above, States must also cooperate with one another in respect of investigations, prosecutions and the exchange of information and documents;

Considering the existing bilateral agreements on extradition and cooperation in respect of investigations and prosecutions;

Considering the existence in the Member States of the Great Lakes Region police cooperation structures within the framework of the International Criminal Police Organization “ICPO-INTERPOL”;

Determined to fill the institutional and legal gaps noted to date in the area of judicial and police cooperation among the States of the Great Lakes Region and desirous of enhancing the protection of citizens of the countries of the Region and their property;

Download PDF