It has been 48 years and one month since Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which was called Zaire, founded the Community of Great Lakes region called CEPGL (Communauté Economique des Pays des Grands Lacs).
The goals of the CEPGL were cooperation in protecting the security of its member states and their residents, establishing joint development activities, promoting cross-border trade and facilitating trade.
These goals were to be implemented through the organization's agricultural and livestock research institute, IRAZ (Institut de Recherche Agronomique et Zootechnique), SINELAC in charge of electricity processing and the development bank BDEGL.
The conflict between the CEPGL member countries has affected its functioning, and it even collapsed in 1996, and it will rise again based on the decision taken by the heads of state in 2008.
Although it is said that the activities of this organization have resumed, it seems that it is still sleeping because the leaders of these countries do not meet in the meeting.
The relationship between these countries is also bad at the moment due mainly to the war that is happening in the eastern part of the DRC.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Ambassador Olivier Nduhungirehe, in a recent interview with RadioTV10 announced that CEPGL is now non-existent even though its institutions such as SINELAC are still operating.
He explained that it is thought that this organization would be destroyed in the Central African countries, ECCAS, because Rwanda, Burundi and DRC are united in these two organizations that have the same goals.
Minister Nduhungirehe said: “You are still alive but you are not there. It's like you're sleeping, but now within ECCAS there are discussions to reform this organization to be connected with other organizations that are made up of all the countries in ECCAS."
He explained that there is another Community of Central African States established in March 1994, CEMAC, which will also be dissolved in ECCAS due to the fact that all its member countries are also in ECCAS.
He said, “CEPGL is made up of three countries, all of which are in ECCAS, and there is another organization called CEMAC from Central Africa which also includes all the countries in ECCAS.
What is being discussed is that these organizations of CEPGL and CEMAC would be united in ECCAS so that the activities would be carried out in the context of ECCAS. I think it's the best, but it's still up for debate."
The last meeting of the CEPGL to bring together the heads of state was held during the administration of Mobutu Sese Seko.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Burundi, Albert Shingiro, on June 28, 2024, told the press that the meeting of the leaders of these parties is not possible while the relationship has deteriorated.
