Editorial by the Executive Director

I am pleased to present the third publication of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR)’s Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre for Democracy and Good Governance (LMRC) Capacity Building Bulletin.This is an important tool for the LMRC because it will strengthen t h e execution of its mission which is “to reinforce the capacities of social and political institutions of ICGLR Member States in the areas of Democracy, Good Governance, Human Rights and Civic Education” . The goal ofthe Bulletin isto facilitate better sharing of information, knowledge and experiences
generated or compiled by the Centre on Capacity Building.The ICGLR Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre is a Regional Think Tank established by the Heads of State and Government of ICGLR Member States (namely; Angola, Burundi, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Kenya, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan, T anzania, Uganda and Zambia) in the Pact on Security, Stability andDevelopment in the Great Lakes Region adopted on 15th December 2006. With its operationalisation in 2011, the LMRC is the scientific and technical body of the ICGLR. Its major interventions involve five areas which complement each other. These are Operational Research and Analysis to inform policy making processes; Training and Capacity Building for
Strengthening Governance Processes; Supporting Implementation of ICGLR Pact and Protocols through Monitoring and Evaluation ; Facilitating multi-actor Dialogue on Governance Reform Agenda in order to build Consensus on key Policy Issues; and Establishing aninformation Hub on Democracy, Good Governance and Human Rights.

This 3rd issue of the Bulletin focuses on the key achievements towards the Establishment and Operationalisation of the ICGLR Regional Multifunctional Youth Forum (ICGLR-RMYF) Secretariat which is being hosted by the Republic of Kenya. I thank the Government of the Republic of Kenya for accelerating the process of establishing and operationalising the ICGLR-RMYF Secretariat. This gesture is a good practice that should be emulated by other Member States in setting up other Fora in the Region. To this effect, the Levy Mwanawasa Regional Centre for Democracy and Good Governance (LMRC), as per its mandate, is fully supporting the establishment and operationalisation of the ICGLR-RMYF Secretariat.

Finally, I am glad to share with you key achievements towards the establishment and operationalisation of the ICGLR-RMYF Secretariat. These include (1) the concept note on the Establishment of the ICGLR-RMYF Secretariat (2) the Budget, (3) Staff Intent and Work Plan validated during the workshop held from 24th to 26th March 2015 in Naivasha, Kenya. The Institutional Organisation and Management Structure of the ICGLR-RMYF Secretariat were also adopted
during the ICGLR-RMYF Executive Committee Meeting held at Sagana Getaway Resort, Kenya from 13th to 16th April 2015. Last but not least, the ICGLR-RMYF Capacity Building Workshop held at Sagana from 20th to 26th September 2015 has, among other results, enhanced ICGLR-RMYF capacity.

Frank Okuthe,PhD
Executive Director

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