International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (Implementation of the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region) Act, 2018

Section 1. Interpretation Section In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires— " Conference " means the International Conference on the Great Lakes; " Conference Secretariat " means the Secretariat of the International Conference on the Great Lakes; " Member states " means the twelve core member states of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, namely the Republic of Angola, the Republic of Burundi, the Central African Republic, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of Kenya, the Republic of Rwanda, the Republic of South Sudan, the Republic of the Sudan, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Uganda and the Republic of Zambia; " Minister " means the Minister responsible for foreign affairs; " Ministry " means the Ministry responsible for foreign affairs; " Pact " means the Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region signed in Nairobi, Kenya on the 15th day of December 2006 as prescribed in the Schedule to this Act; " Protocols " means the protocols adopted or subsequently adopted under the Pact .

Section 2.Pactto have force of law in Uganda Section 2(1) The Pact as set out in the Schedule to this Act shall have the force of law in Uganda. Section 2(2) Without prejudice to the general effect of subsection (1), all rights, powers, liabilities, obligations, and restrictions created or arising by or under the Pact and all remedies and procedures provided for by or under the Pact shall be recognized and available in law and shall be enforceable and allowed in Uganda.

Section 3. Finances Section 3(1) The finances for enforcing the Pact in Uganda shall consist of— Section 3(1)(a) money appropriated by Parliament to the Ministry for the purposes of the Pact ; and Section 3(1)(b) grants or donations from the Government or other sources made with approval of the Minister and Minister responsible for finance. Section 3(2) Subject to article 159 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, for the purposes of providing any sums required for giving effect to the Pact under this section, the Minister responsible for finance may, on behalf of Government, make such arrangements as are necessary or raise loans by creation and issuance of securities bearing such rates of interest and subject to such conditions as to repayment, redemption or otherwise as the Minister considers fit. Section 3(3) A grant, donation or loan received by the Government for purposes of the Pact shall be paid into and form part of the Consolidated Fund and shall be available in the manner in which funds from the Consolidated Fund are available.

Section 4. Immunities and privileges of employees Section 4(1) A person who is employed in the service of the Conference in Uganda, who is a citizen of a member state other than Uganda, shall— Section 4(1)(a) be immune from civil process with respect to acts performed by them in their official capacity; and Section 4(1)(b) be accorded such immunities from immigration restrictions and alien registration as the Member States may determine. Section 4(2) Experts and consultants rendering services to the Conference in Uganda shall be accorded such immunities and privileges as may be agreed by member states.

Section 5. Status, immunities, and privileges of theConference Section 5(1) The Conference shall be accorded such status, capacity, immunities, privileges, and exemptions in Uganda as may be agreed upon by the member states. Section 5(2) Members of the organs and institutions of the Conference shall be accorded such immunities and privileges as may be agreed upon by the member states.

Section 6. Subsequent amendment of thePact Section Where, after the commencement of this Act, the Pact is amended or modified in accordance with the provisions of article 34 of the Pact and ratified under article 123 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda, the Minister shall cause a copy of the amendment or modification to be laid before Parliament, and the amendment or modification shall, for the purposes of this Act, come or be deemed to have come into operation on the date it is laid before Parliament.

Section 7. Regulations Section 7(1) The minister may, in consultation with the line ministry, by statutory instrument, make regulations to give effect to the provisions of this Act. Section 7(2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the minister shall make regulations for— Section 7(2)(a) the exploitation of natural resources; Section 7(2)(b) the operationalization of the Specific Reconstruction and Development Zone; Section 7(2)(c) the prevention and suppression of sexual violence against women and children; Section 7(2)(d) the protection and assistance to internally displaced persons; Section 7(2)(e) the protection of property rights of returning persons; Section 7(2)(f) the management of information and communication; and Section 7(2)(g) any other matter incidental for the better carrying out of the purposes of this Act and the prescription of anything required or authorized under this Act. Section 7(3) Regulations made under this Act may, in respect of any contravention of any of the regulations— Section 7(3)(a) prescribe a penalty not exceeding a fine of five thousand currency points or imprisonment not exceeding ten years or both; Section 7(3)(b) in the case...