thegoodfellas/blogset-br huggingface dataset:
our diplomacy and development called the Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review. And one piece that came very strongly both out of our State Department and USAID was the importance of focusing on inclusive, sustainable economic growth. GDP is an important figure. Its a huge driver of growth in a country. Its a huge driver often of the revenue thats needed to invest in education and infrastructure. But we also need to make sure that thats a growth thats building up a middle class, thats creating opportunities for smaller business owners and entrepreneurs, that were making the investments particularly in young girls, that theyre a part of that system. So we want to continue to track GDP and FDI as important indicators. But we also want to make sure that, in addition to that, were making sure that this is inclusive economic growth thats creating opportunities, that thats geographically spread, its not just in the west or just in the east. So to that, I think this continues to be something that were looking at, not just, frankly, in the context of DRC, but as a lens on all of our diplomacy and development going forward.QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Thank you for your new vision for region, but and for election. I trust you. In regard to the democracy that is coming from Rwanda and what is going to happen, I don't think that its the right one, because the democracy in Rwanda is at the gunpoint. My question is regarding your private investment, as you said. We were in Washington when AGOA was reconducted. Congo is completely excluded. When Madam Christine Lagarde all these institution advocating that the issue in the Congo is bad governance and corruption. We insisted that this issue of corruption and the bad governance are creating a problem for the Congolese, and you are punishing the Congo twice. We need to find a way to resolve this issue. How can you help us break this system and open a window of opportunity for the new generation that is coming and (inaudible)? By the way, shes the first metallurgical female engineer of Congo. (Applause.) Agnes Dimandja. MR PERRIELLO: So I think its a very useful observation, perhaps more than a question. But I think what I will say is these things need to go hand in hand. Good governance is essential. We when we have a limited amount of dollars to invest around the world on these programs, you want to make sure that theyre being used well. So where we see a government thats a partner and wanting to improve accountability and invest in education and infrastructure, we are more excited to go forward.But DRC, I think we need to recognize, has made some great progress in many areas. And in many areas, thats because civil society groups, sometimes at great risk, have pushed for greater accountability and have pushed on the governance agenda. So there are things we can do from the international community, but obviously the future of Congo will most be defined by the people of
Congo. And there I think we see a tremendous hunger for investment, for good governance, for accountability, and I think those voices have been heard and are continuing to be effective, even under very difficult circumstances right now. MR DJINNIT: Maybe just a word I mean, just to say to to assure our friend about the importance of the DRC in the region and the fact that we trust, we believe in the future of the DRC and we are hopeful that the people of the DRC and their leaders will find it will find their ways in shaping a new and vibrant economy. And the fact that let me tell you, my sister, it was not very difficult to get all the leaders of the countries of the region to accept the fact that the investment conference would be held in Kinshasa. It was almost a natural venue for the conference on the private sector. So its a great opportunity for the Great Lakes region the conference but its definitely a great opportunity for the DRC. And the DRC need to take full advantage of this conference to portray a new vision, a new image, a new vision for the DRC. Thats why Im working hand in hand with my sister to make this is because the success of the conference will be success of conference between business sectors of the DRC and the success of the development of the DRC. INTERPRETER: Im hi a translator. (Laughter.) No, he cant speak English. QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Mr. Djinnit, I know you know our country. And I would like to go by asking you something in regard to what is going on in the Congo, but Ill go first by quoting one writer who said that do me a good economy and Ill do you good politics. Anyway, the issue is that talking about investment today is like putting the cart before the horses, and talking about investment today would not be the right thing to do because the issue in Congo is mainly a political issue. And I have not heard you talking about the respect of the constitution as well as the United States and the international community are like doctor that arrive late when the sick person is already dead. Its just to give the death certificate when the sick is already dead. So --Anyway, he say that the issue here is to make sure that the Congo situation is addressed, and if there is no clear vision and clear leader good leadership, Congo is not going to be ripe for investment. He wants sanctions. The issue is that we need to apply sanction for the people governing Congo. As you saw in South Africa, sanction has helped move the process forward. So we talking about looking at the dialogue. We accept the dialogue that is going to lead us to holding the election within the frame time that is constitutional, so we want the respect of the constitution. Thats the priority we should address. MR DJINNIT: Shall I in
English or in French?MR PERRIELLO: Go in French. Thats fine.MR DJINNIT: (In French.)MR PERRIELLO: So Im going to say a comment here. The as I said at the beginning, we see the political stability and respect for the constitution as absolutely essential to the investment climate and development climate in DRC and the Congo. To your analogy, I do not think the patient is dead yet and I do not think we just showed up at the hospital. The United States and many of our allies, through the other envoys, have been very focused on the issue of respect for the constitution for some time. And while things in DRC certainly are challenging, and weve seen some very unfortunate incidents, the fact is that you still see a very vibrant civil society and independent media, you see very strong institutions of democracy, and I think we still see the potential for a historic set of developments here over the next year and a half.So the situation is very serious, but we actually see, again, many things due to the courage of Congolese people as very healthy and encouraging in addition to the things that are of great concern.On the issue of sanctions, I will just note that it was announced this week and theyll be saying more on this tomorrow that the European Union is sanctioning several individuals in Burundi based on the actions that have been taken there. Were continuing to explore all of our options as the United States in the situation in Burundi. And I think it should be clear that there are going to be consequences for those who take actions to destabilize countries in the region and elsewhere.QUESTION: Yes, my question is to the envoy. Do you have a program for the media in the region the press, either foreign press operating in the region or the local press operating in the region as to how they can contribute to stabilizing the region? How can we get them to desist from the when it bleeds it leads philosophy, which is which I think is very, very important. News is not just war when peace has been made; its also news because its I believe its a prerequisite for the smooth operation of the media itself. So what do you have in place as part of your mandate in terms of media having a part to play in stabilizing the region?MR PERRIELLO: Well, first of all, I would say if I had a way to convince the media to not lead with sensationalism and bad news, I would spend a lot of time in my own country here working with our media. Its what we believe is that it we must protect the right of a free media to be part as a fourth estate in any society. As someone whos won an election and lost an election, I dont always like what the media has said about me or how it covers every issue, but it has to be a vibrant part of any democratic and free
society. That does come with responsibilities to report accurately and to not use libel and to not insight, but overall, our emphasis will be on ensuring that journalists are protected and their right to report is protected, and where weve seen that limited we see that as being of grave concern. Weve certainly done programs in the past on trying to make sure were training journalism and the best ethics and behavior, and again, those are problems those are some programs that probably could be applied here as well.QUESTION: All right. Im my concern is on the FDLR yeah, sorry. We you talked about what you are trying to do, everybody, about on the FDLR. There have been a lot of action on this area, but do we know do we know how many FDLR are still in the Congo now? That is my question, because all the action is every time they talked about this and it has been since MONUC has been there and now the new MR DJINNIT: MONUSCO.QUESTION: -- MONUSCO and the government has been talking about trying to fight the FDLR. But how many are there in the region now?MR PERRIELLO: Well, I --QUESTION: A number.MR DJINNIT: Yeah, I dont know the numbers because I dont want to go into the issue of the numbers, because you could find some different numbers in the different institutions and countries. I know that the DRC Government has given figures, and according to the latest reporting, including yesterday, at the Regional Oversight Mechanism by the minister of foreign affairs of Congo, that they say that as a result of the voluntary disarmament and the retraction by the DRC they have reduced significantly the number of the FDLR and they, according to them, they are only left with 334 left. According to the DRC government, thats the fact. But I know that my colleagues from MONUSCO have a different count of numbers, but they dont want to give the numbers because wed be just discussing the numbers, which is not the main issues for me.The main issue is the finalement of the FDLR, and that its very important to highlight the fact that the FDLR is committing crimes in the DRC against the people of the DRC, against women, children, people poor people, vulnerable people in the DRC. They have been committing crimes in the DRC. So it is first in the first interest of the people of the DRC, in the interest of the restoration of the state territory, of the full state authority of DRC, that we are supporting the DRC in their fight against the FDLR. But the number, again, I tell you that this is the figures that Ive been given. But of course, we have not been there to double-check the figures, although when we met this today from our colleagues from MONUSCO we were given slightly different figures. But again, my concern is that we should eradicate fully the FDLR once for all so that they are no more a threat for the people, the
good people of the DRC, and they are no more a threat or an excuse in the for confident for mistrust, you understand? Because many people, they distrust each other because of the perceived attitude vis-a-vis. So I think its important that we eradicate it totally. So this is why its important, when we have finished with the whole leadership of the FDLR, destroyed their command and control, and until such time that there is no any news of any crime by the FDLR in the DRC and elsewhere in the region.QUESTION: Good evening. My name is Abraham Lwakabwai. We are a news organization based in Washington, D.C. My first question to you, Mr. Djinnit. We never heard from the UN a plan that can lead Rwanda to put the dialogue between Tutsis and Hutu since the massacre. What weve been listening from the case is eradicate FDLR forces in the east. Can you a little bit push Mr. Kagame and all his leadership to think about the solution what could bring those people peacefully back to the country instead of being chased as animals in the country in the Congo? Thats my first question.To you, Mr. Perriello. Sixteen elections were scheduled or are scheduled between now to 2016. First one up in Burundi, and weve seen the result. Its a catastrophe. On a daily basis, people are being killed; we keep on finding them. And the only sanctions that weve heard was the first one coming from the UE saying theyre going to freeze some assets of members of the government. Why cant we pinpoint the president and the leadership? Thats where theyre going to be hurt and freeze the visas, freeze the assets, and every single (inaudible). Thats going to be a strong message. Because whats happening in Burundi is being seen in the Congo, Brazzaville, its been seen in the Congo, the DRC, and every single of those leaders wants to change the constitution to remain into power. Weve seen in the Congo January, this they wanted to change the electoral (inaudible). They failed. Now hes about referendum. Were getting into its like a pattern. Its going to come in the Congo Brazzaville, in the Congo Kinshasa, next year in Angola, and in other countries, so we keep on circling. I think if you fix the situation in Burundi, its going to be a strong messages to every single of those people. Thank you.MR DJINNIT: First, on the issue of your mention of the issue of Tutsi/Hutu, whether its in Rwanda or in Burundi. We believe that we should promote reconciliation. The UN is supporting reconciliation process both in Rwanda, in Burundi, and every country. And we believe that reconciliation is something that should be like dialogue in our societies, something that should be permanent. It should because I always used to say when I was in the African Union we are still long way to go to reconcile our populations with their states with their states and borders. So the reconciliation process in Africa has still many decades
to come to be bridge to forge reconciliation among our populations within the context of the states that are there in Africa. So thats something that we support not only through the UN political wing but through the UN system on the ground, through the NDP. So we are very supportive of that. Now, every country is a specific country. I think you cannot just put a position, why do when the FDLR has a background, there is the history of the genocide, so you have to put everything in the context. So try to mitigate a little bit, to measure what can be done, what cannot be done at this point in time of history. So I say, one, reconciliation is (inaudible). I think there are something could (inaudible) more time to happen. Thats why, I mean, we are doing our best to promote reconciliation. MR PERRIELLO: On the question about consequences for those whove taken actions in the context of Burundi, we have already heard about the EU sanctions. Were continuing to look in that at that issue as well as the visa bans that have been issued. But to your core point, I think, as I said at the beginning, Burundi should be seen, in my mind, by other leaders as a cautionary tale, not as a playbook. Do you really want to be in situation right now where your willingness to do anything possible to hold onto power has your country on the brink of violence, on the brink of hunger, with refugees fleeing your country, with a desperate need for money for running the government, for institutions that are fraying when youve spent 15 years trying to help a country move from a very violent past to institutions like the military becoming post-ethnic or moving in that direction.I think in some ways the worst consequences imposed on Burundis leaders are those that have simply been imposed by the reality on the ground, which is overseeing a broken country. There is not right now a coming together, a consent of the governed, that exists. And so I think while we will continue to look very seriously at what additional consequences may be necessary for those whove taken actions not just on behalf of the government but those also who were involved in attempting a coup, which is not the right way to try to handle a situation like this that there do need to be consequences there. I think there are there have been. But the worst consequence is the state of the of Burundi and the people of Burundi right now. And I believe that there are many leaders in the region of goodwill who are true patriots to their country. I may not agree with every decision they make, but do they really want to see their countries look like Burundi a year from now or two years from now? So in addition to what we do as an international community, ultimately country the people of countries have the biggest influence on their future. And to
me, Burundi is one that proves what we have tried to offer as our best advice and friendship from President Obama that says trying to change the rules of constitutions at the last second to stay in power is destabilizing. So we think thats probably the greatest consequence of all, which is not to say that there wont be additional measures thatll be considered.QUESTION: Thank you for the opportunity to ask my questions. My name is Ann Lihau-NKanza. Im from the DRC. To kind of hang on the tailcoats of my fellow Congolese, I have a threefold question, the first being: In history, in negotiations for whatever, impunity historically has always been part of the dialogue. So my question to you, as it pertains to that, is within the context of the conference to come in February, your dialogue will be with the people who are currently in power who may, if history goes as those of us wish it will go, be no longer in power after elections. Will impunity be at the table in the negotiations of the potential investments that will be made in the Congo? And if so, what protection from that do you foresee? Secondly, to Special Envoy Djinnit, in dialogue in the region of the Great Lakes, I know youve been faced with issues of being accused of bias. And that may be a problem in negotiations, not only in the Congo but in the in Burundi and Rwanda as well. How do you envision, with this economic conference and what will follow, how to prevent that from happening? Because that could exclude you although your contribution is very worthy could exclude you from a dialogue.And the last thing is we havent spoken about the elephant in the economic room of Africa, which is China. At the table I understand were the participants that you have quoted or mentioned to us will be at the table, but China is already there. Its basically a grassroots economic force in Africa, and specifically in the Congo. I understand that dialogue going from the table to the field is not necessarily easy to implement, and is that within the context of your strategizing for investment in Africa?Oh, and I did have one last thing. How are you going to hold your investors accountable to actually implement and invest for the most vulnerable, as you name them women and children?MR DJINNIT: There are so many questions, there are so many. (Laughter.)Well, first, maybe on the on maybe the last one, its always to sometimes its better to start from the last one. You said, I think, we want to focus on the small one of our meetings we are convening is in the next few weeks is a meeting bringing together the small, medium, and small-scale enterprises from the region to prepare them to take part fully in the private sector conference. So we are not only thinking about the giants. We are also thinking of the small-scale enterprises from the region that are there, to give them an opportunity
to participate in the conference. Thats one thing.The second thing we are talking about the women and we care for the role of the women, and theyre already very active, as we are, and they are expected to be more active with more space for them to be active. We are taking advantage of a conference organized by UN Women in Nairobi platform, original platform, and we are having a segment, we are having a parallel conference within the conference, on preparing women entrepreneurs to take part in the conference. So we are having a segment in Nairobi next month or actually, this October, the end of October, on preparing the women entrepreneurs for the private sector conference. So to say to tell you that we are thinking of (inaudible).Now, China is a big partner to Africa. And obviously, while well be engaging the private sector we have to engage the private sector in the U.S., and Im glad that some representative were with us here we have to go to some positions like London, like Brussels, but you should not ignore China. China is a very important actor in Africa that should be part of the private sector conference, obviously.Now, as far as the dialogue and the impunity, Im I dont think well see what will be (inaudible). But at the conference in Kinshasa, we want to have a discussion between the private sector and the government on what conditions that needs to be created for a conducive investment in the region.MR PERRIELLO: I would just say I think were past the point now, though it is too often repeated, where the presumption is that impunity is the key to stability or to investment. In fact, in many countries that have been able to break a cycle of violence or a cycle of corruption, its actually been the difficult work of holding people accountable whether thats for past atrocities or for corruption that has actually been part of what really frees investment, and particularly small entrepreneurship to come up through. On some of the work I was involved in in West Africa, youve seen countries that have not returned to war in part because there was accountability for those who had led previous atrocities and attacks. So I would not accept as a premise, and we dont accept as a premise, that impunity is crucial in these areas quite the opposite. That could be involved whether its the dialogue, the political dialogue we believe needs to happen in the case of Burundi or elsewhere, that its it never feels necessarily like the right time to do the tough work of holding people accountable. And weve seen that to some extent in eastern Congo, where difficult work has been done to put in regimes to increase transparency around natural resources. Has that had some disruptions? Yes. But overall, is that creating a stronger room for economic growth and for new entrepreneurs, including women entrepreneurs, to come in, and not just the biggest actors? Yes.So the hope is that we can invest in