NAIROBI, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Africa's Great Lakes region that has for decades grappled with civil strife is on a recovery path thanks to peaceful political transition by regional blocs and the international community, a UN official said on Monday.
Said Djinnit, special envoy of the United Nations secretary general for the Great Lakes Region of Africa, said implementation of a roadmap to restore peace, stability and prosperity in the heart of Africa, has gone overdrive.
"The Great Lakes Region is moving forward and there is a concerted effort to deal with negative forces that are threat to stability. When we stabilize the Great Lakes Region, the entire African continent will benefit," said Djinnit.
He said that public sector reforms, transparent electoral process and inclusivity are key to hastening reconstruction in Africa's Great Lakes countries like Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Central Africa Republic.
The Algerian diplomat said the international community will rally behind efforts to tackle the root causes of instability in the resource-rich but volatile region.
"We must tackle illegal exploitation of natural resources that is one of the root causes of instability in the Great Lakes region to ensure they are source of prosperity and not chaos," said the envoy.
Djinnit said that establishment of a judicial cooperative framework that is being mooted will address historical injustices that have fueled turmoil in the Africa's Great Lakes Region.
Djinnit also said that the space for women and youth's participation in promotion of peace and stability in the Great Lakes region has been expanded.
"There is need to place women and youth at the center to ensure that long-lasting peace, security and prosperity is realized in the Great Lakes region. We must strengthen bonds of friendship among states to address mistrust and suspicion that is a threat to stability," said Djinnit.
He said that the just concluded elections in the DR Congo that paved way for a peaceful political transition served as an inspiration for the entire Great Lakes region.
"Progress is being made in DR Congo. The trajectory is positive, the peaceful elections were good news for the region," said Djinnit.
