Joseph Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, signs the Dar es Salaam Declaration during the cloture ceremony of the first summit of the international conference on the region of Great lakes in Dar es Salaam, the capital of Tanzania, Nov. 20, 2004. Heads of state from eleven Great Lakes Region countries signed a declaration of peace on Saturday, vowing to bring an end to conflict, hunger and rampant disease in the region. (Xinhua Photo)

    DAR ES SALAAM, Nov. 20 (Xinhuanet) -- The inaugural summit of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region and the peace declaration signed Saturday at the end of the summit was claimed to usher in a solemn undertaking by the leaders from the region to pursue peace.

    "This conference, and the Dar es Salaam Declaration, ushers in a solemn undertaking by the leaders and people of our region to bring to a close a sad chapter in our history," said Tanzanian President Benjamin Mkapa at the end of the summit, "a chapter characterized by conflict, social disharmony and missed economic opportunities."

    The Dar es Salaam Declaration, widely hailed as a peace declaration, proclaimed to the world that the Great Lakes Region is not and must not be seen to be inherently unstable and prone toconflicts, said the president.

    Ten presidents and one foreign minister from the 11 Great LakesRegion discussed clause by clause the declaration during the two days of their summit before signing it on Saturday.

    "We have placed our credibility and integrity on the line," stressed Mkapa, "We will only be believed and respected for our actions; for actions always speak louder than words."

    African Union President and President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo hailed the peace declaration as a very significant step and the first of its kind in the Great Lakes Region.

    The African Union chief described the efforts made as Herculeanto bring about the peace declaration that is the foundation for the establishment of a regional framework for the adoption and implementation of a pact on peace, security, good governance and development, which are indispensable for achieving desired political, economic and social development goals.

    The Great Lakes Region, according to Obasanjo, has gone throughvery traumatic and dehumanizing events ranging from genocide, conflicts, exodus of refugees and internally-displaced persons, impoverishment to serious menace to the environment.

    The African Union president called on the regional leaders to deliver the purpose of leadership and that is to improve the standards of living of their own peoples by first securing peace and stability and then helping economy to develop.

    "The first step is always very important in every journey," Obasanjo concluded, "a sustained effort is essential to the achievement of any desirable and worthwhile goal that will be beneficial to the millions of our peoples."

    He urged the regional leaders for not only drawing concrete plans of action but also faithfully implementing the plans so as to achieve the goals set out in the Dar es Salaam Declaration. Enditem