HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES ARE PART AND PARCEL OF PROLONGED PEACE PROCESS IN ANGOLA, SECRETARY GENERAL SAYS

Press Release
SG/SM/6189
IHA/624

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES ARE PART AND PARCEL OF PROLONGED PEACE PROCESS IN ANGOLA, SECRETARY GENERAL SAYS

This is the text of the statement by Secretary-General Kofi Annan at the launching of the United Nations 1997 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola, in Luanda today:

Angola is in the midst of a complex and delicate transition. The guns of war have been silenced, but a definitive peace remains to be secured. Angola's war wounds have not been fully healed, nor has the country begun to exploit the extraordinary potential for growth and social development. Nevertheless, Angola has made enormous progress in reforming its legacy of civil strife. This progress must be sustained. And to that end, the international community can make an invaluable contribution through assistance aimed at addressing the needs and requirements of this warn-torn society. I am therefore particularly pleased to be here today to launch the United Nations 1997 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola.

The Appeal which calls for $228 million for relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction programmes, is the product of a collaborative effort of United Nations agencies, international organizations, government authorities and non- governmental organizations working for the betterment of humanitarian conditions in Angola and the achievement of lasting peace. It not only seeks resources to meet the still extensive humanitarian needs of the many victims of the Angolan conflict, but also provides a framework for the transition to national rehabilitation and reconstruction. In this respect it is truly a blueprint for international support to the peace process in Angola.

The generous support which the international community has until now provided to the humanitarian endeavour in Angola, must continue through 1997. Such support will contribute significantly towards ensuring that the march to peace is irreversible. Only then can the people of Angola enjoy the dividends of peace for which they and the international community have worked so hard.

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In this context, I would like to pay, in particular, tribute to all those humanitarian workers who have laboured to alleviate the suffering of the victims of Angola's war, often under the most dangerous and demanding circumstances.

I would also like to thank those who have made a direct contribution to the peace process by carrying out demanding programmes of humanitarian assistance for the quartered troops and their dependents, as well as facilitating their demobilization and reintegration into civilian society.

Finally, I must thank the international community for its continued support to these peace-building activities. Despite all the frustrations and delays, the international community has never wavered in its commitment to peace in Angola.

In retrospect, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners have made tremendous strides in expanding the coverage of humanitarian assistance in Angola. By doing so, we have widened the space for confidence-building, consultation and mutual collaboration among the parties.

Throughout 1996, the United Nations and its agencies, working closely with non-governmental organizations have done much to mitigate the humanitarian situation in Angola. The World Food Programme (WFP) provided life-sustaining food aid to some 1.2 million people in need. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), through a broad national and international network, was able to ensure the distribution of seeds and tools to some 500,000 families throughout Angola. The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) expanded immunization activities through a coordinated programme with the Angolan Government, enabling them to reach over 2 million children. Non-governmental organizations played a vital role in all these activities.

The UCAH (Unidade de Coordenaçâo para a Assistência Humanitária -- Humanitarian Assistance Coordination Unit), the office representing the Department of Humanitarian Affairs in Angola, provided continued support for those activities and organized a comprehensive humanitarian assistance programme for over 70,000 ex-UNITA troops in quartering areas and their 130,000 family members. This programme carried out by 11 international non- governmental organizations with support from World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, WFP and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), has been crucial to the positive evolution of the peace process. Now that the demobilization of underage soldiers has begun, non-governmental organizations are also active in family tracing, performing a commendable job in an often tense and difficult working environment.

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With extensive support from the United Nations Angola Verification Mission (UNAVEM III), UCAH has coordinated demining activities, expanding them through a network of international non-governmental organizations and national demining brigades. This has enabled the demining of over 5,000 kilometre of road, the repair and demining of 55 bridges, the creation of a national data base on suspected mine sites and an extended programme of mine awareness with the assistance of UNICEF and Handicap International.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) established counselling and referral offices in 14 provinces for demobilized soldiers and their families and prepared quick impact projects to facilitate their social and economic reintegration.

Finally, and importantly, one of the main focus of our efforts has been the strengthening of the capacity of national institutions. As a result, Angolan national institutes are playing an ever increasing role in demining and reintegration of ex-combatants in their respective fields of endeavour as well as in many other sectors.

This progress in the humanitarian field owes much to the commitment and professionalism of the staff, which has not only enhanced credibility of the United Nations and of the international community in Angola, but also helped to spread a culture of peace and dialogue in a nation stricken by bitter and prolonged conflict.

The 1997 Inter-Agency Appeal provides a material framework to ensure that this national dialogue, aimed at reconciliation, peace-building and reconstruction, will take hold throughout the country.

I expect the Joint Commission to shortly announce the start of demobilization of all troops not to be retained in the national army. Provisions are made in the 1997 United Nations Appeal to facilitate the social and economic reinsertion of the demobilizing personnel. It is extremely important that the international community continue to support this delicate process by making the necessary resources available.

The United Nations also plans to continue supporting the internally displaced and war affected people across Angola and to help them resume productive lives. In this regard, I should point out that the Appeal foresees that, under the coordination of the national demining institute, demining activities will expand rapidly in 1997, allowing for increased freer circulation of people and goods and substantially enhanced agricultural activity.

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As emergency-based humanitarian assistance gives way to the revitalization of Angolan communities, and as the demobilization process is completed, the Department of Humanitarian Affairs will begin to withdraw from Angola and transfer its functions to government institutions and specialized United Nations agencies. Finally, an important component of the 1997 strategy is to further strengthen government institutions in their capacity to manage and implement humanitarian, rehabilitation and development activities.

Looking at Angola today I am confident that our joint efforts and the investments we have made in supporting national reconciliation in this country will eventually bear fruit. I believe that the international community and the United Nations have responded in a coherent and effective manner to the challenge of peace. With patience and perseverance, Angola could become an extraordinary example of triumph of peace over conflict and division.

I appeal once again to the international community to maintain its support for the humanitarian activities in this country. These activities are, in a certain sense, part and parcel of the prolonged and yet crucially important peace process in Angola.

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