Friday, July 26, 2013
The national coordinator and director of the summit, Ken Vitisia says
this will be a good platform for the country to articulate its foreign
policy. He said Kenya will also seek support of a common regional
position on Somalia and on its effort to take refugees from there back
to their country. "It is in Kenya's interest that we don't have regional
conflict. If we have peace within the region, it means we are able to
trade more and this mean our foreign exchange increases," he said.
"If we increase our trade, we will also create more job opportunities
for our growing youth population. Majority are jobless." He said the
meeting will also discuss about the region's stability to enhance more
growth. "Our social, economic development is tied directly to stability
within the great lake regions," he noted.
He added that the summit will also offer an opportunity for the
regional leaders to address the need for fast-tracking regional
integration, investments in infrastructure and increased regional trade.
During the summit, Vitisia said the president will underline and
re-emphasize his commitment to support initiatives towards regional
peace, security and development.
"The country will also engage with the visiting heads of state on
bilateral relations that will foster trade among the nations," he
affirmed. "The Jubilee government has shown its commitment to integrate
with African states. The president is expected to push on the issue of
infrastructure development that will connect the region," he explained.
President Uhuru Kenyatta will open the summit which will be attended by Heads of State of the 12 countries.
The summit will also be attended by development partners among them
the officials from United Nations, African Development Bank, African
Union and the World Bank.
The summit follows consultations between President Yoweri Museveni
and President Uhuru Kenyatta. It comes at a time when there is renewed
hostilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the crisis in Central
Africa Republic and the tensions between the Sudans.
The summit will ensure a strict observance of the standards and
principles of international humanitarian law, notably those relating to
the protection and assistance of women, children, refugees and displaced
persons.