Dar-es-Salaam Declaration on Peace, Security, Democracy and Development in the Great Lakes Region

The parties to this declaration affirm their collective determination to transform the Great Lakes Region into a space of sustainable peace and security. They support all the national peace processes in the region, and commit themselves to strengthen their cooperation in the areas of defense, arms trafficking, DDR, and struggle against terrorism. They shall promote democracy, good governance and human rights, as well as political participation and gender equality. The parties also commit themselves to cooperate in supporting economic development, especially through regional integration. They shall address the humanitarian problems of the region, especially concerning internally displaced persons, land-mines, child soldiers and HIV/AIDS. A Regional Inter-Ministerial Committee is set up, in order to prepare a second summit of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region, scheduled in 2005.