President Paul Kagame has been invited to give a key note address on conflict and post conflict management on Rwanda's rebirth from the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. A Nigerian delegation led by the Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Ewetu Uduaghan, visited Village Urugwiro yesterday and invited the President to the second internal South-South Economic Summit to be held between April 26 and 28 in Delta State.
The invitation comes as Rwanda commemorates the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, in which over one million people were killed. Rwanda's recovery from the tragedy has been a source of inspiration to many African countries.
The first edition of the summit was held in Calabar, Cross River state, in 2009, and focused on economic development and regional security. Insecurity and political instability has resurfaced in the Economic Commission for West Africa (ECOWAS) region, following military coups in Mali and Guinea Bissau.
The coup in Mali has since been resolved after the military handed back power to civilians, while Bissau is still facing unrest. According to Dr Ewetu Uduaghan, Kagame's visit to the Nigerian region is also meant to explore the possibilities of economic cooperation between Rwanda and the South-South states of Nigeria, which is the heart of Nigerian oil industry.
Rwanda's High Commissioner to Nigeria, Joseph Habineza, said although there is an element of cooperation with Nigeria, Rwanda will actually be offering lessons to Nigeria.
"About 95 percent of the oil produced in Nigeria is from this South-South region, but we also have other minerals which we believe if we could come together and form an integrated economic development," said Uduaghan.
He added the states involved in the summit believe they need someone who has an experience in conflict and post conflict management. The summit is being organised by the BRACED Commission, an acronym for Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo, and Delta states.
"Because of the oil in the South, there has been conflicts before; President Kagame is coming to share with us his experience in crisis management and how we can come out of a crisis situation to become an investment destination of Africa," said Dr Uduaghan.
Also expected to attend the summit is the host President, Goodluck Jonathan, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, ex-first Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), John Lipsky and the 17th Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen.
The summit, to be held under the theme "investment, development, security", is aimed at underscoring the fact that the South-South is developing and is ready for investment. Currently, both Nigeria and Rwanda enjoy economic cooperation in terms of air transport which facilitates business for both countries. The organisers of the Summit said President Kagame would bring the perspective of a leader who rebuilt his country from the ruins of genocide, against monumental odds.
Media reports have quoted summit spokesman Chike Ogeah, saying, "Under President Kagame's leadership, Rwanda has been called Africa's 'biggest success story' and he has become a public advocate of new models for foreign aid designed to help recipients become self-reliant. "He is billed to give a development keynote address on 'Post-conflict Development Policies'," Ogeah is quoted.
By Edwin Musoni
via The New Times, Rwanda
