Caption: President Kibaki and other COMESA leaders during a summit in Swaziland where the organisation defended Kenya's decision to invite Sudan's president Omar El-Bashir to the country last week
The 14th COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government on Wednesday said the criticism leveled against Kenya for hosting Sudan's President Omar El Bashir during the promulgation of the new constitution ceremony is unwarranted.
In a communiqué issued at Lozitha Palace in Swaziland at the end of the two-day summit, the COMESA Heads of State and Government said in view of the central role Kenya has continued to play as a guarantor of the Sudan Peace Process under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) it was not wrong for Kenya to host President Bashir during the historic event.
The COMESA leaders, at the same time, appreciated Kenya's engagement and sacrifices in the peace processes in the Horn of Africa.
They also acknowledged Kenya's commitment to support the full implementation of the Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement and her commitment to keep all parties engaged until the successful holding of the Sudan referendum in January next year.
On democracy and governance, the summit congratulated President Kibaki, the Government and the people of Kenya for holding a successful democratic and peaceful national referendum that endorsed the new constitution.
The COMESA Heads of State and Government also congratulated Sudan's President Bashir for his re-election and the people of Sudan for holding peaceful democratic elections in 24 years.
Other Heads of State and Government who were congratulated by the summit for their re-election included President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, Pierre Nkurunzinza of Burundi and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia.
Reiterating the importance of peace and security in creating an enabling environment for investment, economic development and regional integration, the 14th COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government commended the African Union, African regional economic communities and other regional mechanisms for the sustained efforts in addressing conflicts and insecurity in the continent.
They welcomed the progress made towards consolidating peace in the Great Lakes Region and called on the international community to support efforts by the Governments of Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo in peace consolidation and development to ensure long term stability of the Great Lakes Region.
The Heads of State and Government further urged countries in the region and the international community to implement sanctions against negative forces in the region such as the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda.
In this regard, the regional leaders condemned the recent terrorist attack by Al Shabaab militia on Uganda that led to the loss of innocent lives and noted with concern the deteriorating situation in Somalia and its negative impact on the economic and social welfare of the region.
On infrastructure development, the leaders urged member states to attended the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite and IGAD Infrastructure Conference scheduled to be held in Nairobi in October this year.
The summit reappointed Hon. Justice Nzamba Kitonga of Kenya as President of the COMESA Court of Justice, Hon. Justice Ernest Linesi Sakala of Zambia and Hon. Justice Borhan Mohamed Tawhid Amrallah of Egypt as judges of the Appellate Division of the COMESA Court of Justice.
Hon. Justice Samuel Rugege of Rwanda was appointed principal judge while Hon. Justice Menberetsehai Tadesse of Ethiopia and Hon. Justice Stanley Maphalala of Swaziland were appointed judges of the COMESA Court of Justice First Instance Division.
The affirmation by the leaders comes on the day that the Kenyan High Commissioner was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Britain where the British government conveyed its disappointment over Bashir's visit to Kenya in defiance of ICC arrest warrants for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.
The officers emphasised that the UK expects the Government of Kenya to stand by its obligations under the Rome Statute, and as a UN member state.
Bashir's visit to the country has continued to generate debate with the Kenyan government insisting that its obligations to regional organisations supersedes those of the ICC.
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