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{
    "id": 1156169,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1156169/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 76,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Orengo",
    "speaker_title": "The Senate Minority Leader",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 129,
        "legal_name": "Aggrey James Orengo",
        "slug": "james-orengo"
    },
    "content": " Thank you, Madam Temporary Speaker. I stand up to support this statement. The Forum for Parliamentarians of Member States of the International Conference in the Great Lakes Region comes at a time when the process of bringing Nations of East Africa together has solidified with the membership of DRC as a Member of the EAC. I presume that the name should no longer be the EAC because it now goes beyond the Horn of Africa. Truly, it is a big achievement because the Community now runs from the Indian Ocean to the Atlantic. This is a major achievement. The population within the EAC is going to be nearly 200 million with the entry of the DRC. That is a huge economic bloc. In terms of population, the EAC is almost half of the European Union (EU). In terms of natural resources particularly with the coming in of the DRC, it may be the richest economic bloc in the entire Africa. If we look at what is within the DRC in terms of minerals, the East African Traditional Countries of Kenya and Tanzania and now even Uganda have deposits of oil and gas. We have the largest water bodies in the entire Africa. We have Lake Victoria, Lake Tanganyika, Lake Malawi and other important water bodies including the oceans. Therefore, the political framework for this region is not just having the Community itself as an Organization but having a forum for parliamentarians. This is under the ambit of the Great Lakes Region which includes the Republic of Angola. If DRC can become part of the Community, I see no reason why Angola and Zambia cannot become Members. This political union of Members of Parliament, assembling together like the 12th Plenary is important for assessing what is happening in the region. That notwithstanding, the weakest thing about African and regional organizations is that a lot needs to be done on human rights and democracy projects. Even when any one of the nations is bedeviled with internal conflicts or invasion - and we have had countries that are in conflict or invaded by one country or another in the horn of Africa - a lot needs to be done in ensuring principles of democracy and human rights underpin the Great Lakes Region. I am very proud that the world has come together in support of Ukraine. You need a strong political union to do what the European Union (EU) is doing in order to deal with the conflict or invasion of Ukraine. I think the weakest link between these countries that are coming under the umbrella of the Great Lakes Region is that respect for the rule of law and democracy is still lacking. When there is lack or deficit of democracy and human rights in any one of"
}