UN Secretary-General attended the Private Sector Investments Conference in the Great Lakes Region

UN Secretary-General attended the Private Sector Investments Conference in the Great Lakes Region
25 Feb 2016

UN Secretary-General attended the Private Sector Investments Conference in the Great Lakes Region

Kinshasa – February 24th 2016 : A crowd turned up to attend the speech of Ban Ki-moon ,the UN Secretary General, at the opening ceremony of the International Conference on Private Sector Investments in the Great Lakes Region, organized at the Cité de l’OUA in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. At this conference, Ban Ki-moon delivered his vision of a private sector contributing to sustainable peace and economic development in this region.

 Ban Ki-moon declared to be « fascinated by the breadth of opportunities and the tremendous potential of the Great Lakes Region. However, successive conflicts have impeded hard working people of this area to achieve their full potential. »

Three years after the signature of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework in Addis-Abeba, this conference is a proof of the progress made by the Great Lakes Region’s countries, as it was stated by the president of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

With his speech, the General Secretary of the United Nations delivered a strong message. « Economic development must be based on sustainable foundations: an educated and healthy population, an inclusive society, and a good governance based on the rule of Law. ».

Ban Ki-moon exhorted government leaders and decision-makers of the Great Lakes Region to create an enabling business environment which ensures that economic investments are responsible, sustainable, and predictable.

To economic investors, Ban Ki-moon said that « The people of the Great Lakes region count on you to create decent job and foster inclusive development ». Then, the Secretary General of the United Nations asked humanitarian and development actors to provide support to the regional integration process of the Great Lakes Region.

The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo concluded the opening ceremony by thanking warmly Ban Ki-moon and the United Nations for their continuous efforts towards stabilization, peace and development in the Great Lakes Region.

Anne Herrmann