Ambassador Liberata Mulamula, the Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region winds up her five-year term of office at the end of the organization summit on December 16 this year (2011).
In this post, Mulamula was charged with the responsibility of establishing and making the secretariat operational. She also coordinated activities of the ICGLR, which includes ensuring implementation of the region’s Peace, Security and Development accord; which seeks to build durable peace and stability in the region.
UGAMEDIA talked to Mulamula also commonly referred to as ‘Mama Great Lakes’ about her trials and tribulations while overseeing the Great Lakes region.
Qn: How have been you tenure?
Ans: It has been most challenging. I had to establish the organization from scratch and I have seen it grow within its mandate of establishing peace and stability. The region was very insecure five years ago. For instance there was rebellion in Burundi but today they are able to hold elections. In Dr Congo, the problem of Laurent Nkunda (Congolese rebel leader) has been settled. Generally, the guns in DRC have gone silent. This has given me a lot of satisfaction.
Secondly, in a period of only two years about nine countries have held elections, which required us to deploy observers. Overall, convening power of this Conference (ICGLR) has given me pride because it brings all civil society groups, the donor community and governments together.
Qn: Are the resolutions you make binding. What should be done to enforce them?
Ans: First of all I should clarify that we have legally binding resolutions since we operate under a pact (legal regime). The issue of implementation is what is still lacking. Although the Heads of State tend to agree on a set of things during the summit, they deviate from the common regional position back at home because according to their priorities. The ownership of implementation is still lacking. The other issue is lack of the institutional capacity to implement those resolutions. Again, lack of political will and limited resources frustrate our efforts.
Qn: We sense there is duplication of roles by different international and regional agencies like you (ICGLR), IGAD, EAC, AU and others; are there efforts to harmonize them?
Ans: our mandate as ICGLR is peace and stability to enable economic communities grow. Usually, however, our roles are complementary although that is not what the public see. There is no duplication as such but what happens is organizations making competing decisions, which is where we find problems. Fortunately, we have signed Memorandum of Understandings with other regional organizations.
Qn: What has been your personal relationship with the Heads of State?
Ans: It has been very cordial. As I leave office I can say I have met all the Heads of State in the 11 member states and they have all been very good to me. Their doors were always open for me. Even re carpets were laid for me.
QN: How have you managed all of this with your family?
Ans: It is a balancing act as a mother and wife I have responsibilities. There is also so much sacrifice. You have no life of your own. By now I should be planning a birthday party for my son but I am here. There is a lot of understanding from my two children and my husband.
But my father modeled us in this way. In terms of leadership, he said, you have to be respected but live to your commitments and integrity.
Who is Ambassador Liberata Mulamula
Ambassador Mulamula joined the Foreign Service in 1981 as Third Secretary in the Legal and Multi Lateral Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Her early experience in Foreign Service included participation in all meetings of the United Nations General Assembly in New York as a delegate from Tanzania held annually from September to December. She was then posted to the country’s Permanent Mission to the UN in New York as the Ambassador’s Advisor in Political affairs and Decolonization issues.
She worked there in different capacities from 1985-1992. For three years (1989-1992), she was also a member of the UN/OAU Expert Group on the Denuclearization of Africa leading to the Treaty of Pelindaba.
From 1992-1994, Ambassador Mulamula participated in the Rwandese peace talks in Arusha Tanzania as part of the Facilitators team; attended UNITAR training workshop on conflict resolution and management, Vienna, Austria, 1996; and was appointed Special Assistant to the Permanent Secretary of the Tanzania Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1996-1999.
In that capacity she attended bilateral, regional and multilateral meetings, including successive UN General Assembly sessions, SADC and EAC Summits, Great Lakes Region peace initiatives and others. During the same period she was also a part-time lecturer on the “Art of Negotiations” at the Centre for Foreign Relations, Dar-el-Salaam.
She also served at the Tanzania High Commission to Canada as Minister Plenipotentiary and Head of Chancery from 2002 to 2003 when she returned home after being appointed Ambassador and Director of Multilateral Cooperation; the post she held up to the year 2006.
At the same time Ambassador Mulamula served as Tanzania’s National Coordinator at the International Conference on the Great Lakes. In recognition of her abilities, she was in December 2006 she was appointed by the Great Lakes Summit in Nairobi the first Executive Secretary of the Secretariat of the International Conference of the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR).
In this post, she was charged with the responsibility of establishing and making the secretariat operational. She also coordinates the activities of the ICGLR, which includes ensuring implementation of the region’s Peace, Security and Development accord; which seeks to build durable peace and stability in the region.
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