Working with parliamentarians

We have been working with the Amani parliamentary forum for peace, a regional parliamentarians’ forum of MPs from 7 countries in and around the Great Lakes region, since 2001. Each country has established a National Peace Forum or Chapter and a Regional Secretariat in Nairobi plays a co-ordinating role. International Alert helped to create the forum and we continue to support it now that it is an independent regional organisation.

The Forum works to:

• strengthen the capacities of MPs to resolve conflicts and build peace
• build relationships of solidarity and cooperation among MPs working for peace in the region
• organise peace initiatives by joint groups of MPs from the region
• stimulate debate on conflict issues and action for peace within national parliaments

Members are trained in conflict resolution skills and share information about conflicts in the region. Amani has undertaken a wide range of peace initiatives at both national and regional levels. These are some examples:

• contributing to rapprochement between Rwanda and Uganda by organising two inter-parliamentary dialogue meetings between MPs from the two countries
• facilitating the return of Zanzibari refugees fleeing persecution in the wake of the Tanzanian elections in 2001
• promoting dialogue between Burundian and Tanzanian MPs in response to souring relations between the two countries over refugee issues
• carrying out fact-finding missions to South and North Sudan to inform Amani members of the issues underlying the long-running civil war. A subsequent lobbying campaign by Amani members significantly contributed to the momentum for a peaceful resolution of the conflict
  sending regional delegations of MPs to observe the conduct of the general elections in Kenya in 2002, the Tanzania by-elections in 2003 and the Rwandan presidential and parliamentary elections in 2004.

Since the establishment of the Transitional parliament in the DRC in 2003, Amani members have been in contact with their Congolese counterparts, developing a good relationship with a core group of MPs. A Congolese chapter of Amani was launched in June 2005.

For more information about Amani, contact Salome Katia.

Amani Secretariat
PO Box 25592
Nairobi
Kenya

00603 Kilimani Chaka Rd
Titan Building
Nairobi
Kenya

Tel: +254 202 730 802/3

For more information, contact Sylvie Pereira

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Last updated: March 2006