SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS ON PARTIES TO LUSAKA PEACE ACCORD TO OBSERVE CEASEFIRE AND EXTEND SUPPORT FOR POLIO IMMUNIZATION CAMPAIGN

Press Release
SG/SM/7183
AFR/187

SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS ON PARTIES TO LUSAKA PEACE ACCORD TO OBSERVE CEASEFIRE AND EXTEND SUPPORT FOR POLIO IMMUNIZATION CAMPAIGN

The following statement was issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General calls on all parties to the Lusaka Peace Accord to observe the ceasefire throughout the country and extend their full support for the third and final round of the polio immunization campaign to proceed from 20-28 October. He reminds all parties of their commitment under the Lusaka Peace Accord (annex A paragraph 6.2), to enable national immunization campaigns to be carried out.

The Secretary-General recalls the support of the parties for the earlier polio immunization rounds which allowed for over 90 per cent of the targeted 10 million children under five to be immunized throughout the country. This campaign is being carried out by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in close collaboration with local health authorities and non-governmental agencies. He stresses the importance of this campaign to eradicate this crippling and preventive disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

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