PRESS BRIEFING ON ANGOLA BY UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL GAMBARI

PRESS BRIEFING ON ANGOLA BY UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL GAMBARI

The death of Jonas Savimbi, leader of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), had created new and changed circumstances to push the Angolan peace process forward, Under-Secretary-General Ibrahim Gambari, Special Adviser of the Secretary-General on Africa, told correspondents at a Headquarters press briefing early this afternoon.

Mr. Gambari was briefing correspondents on his two-hour meeting with the Security Council, which had taken place earlier.

The Special Adviser said Mr. Savimbi's removal from the Angolan scenario had produced dramatic changes and opened up new opportunities, which could either be seized positively, or allowed to pass.  If seized positively, they could help UNITA to reorganize itself and become a valuable interlocutor with a coherent voice that could respond to the Angolan Government's proposals on how to end the war according to the Lusaka Protocol.

Mr. Gambari said there had been a number of very positive developments in Angola, including a statement by that country's Government on 13 March outlining a 15-point peace plan.  That plan included a cessation of hostilities; a commitment to implement the outstanding features of the Lusaka Protocol; a massive emergency programme of humanitarian assistance; distribution of relief material without discrimination; and a big programme of national reconstruction.  Regarding the last issue, he said the assistance of the international community would be sought.

He said that while the external wing of UNITA had welcomed the Government's ceasefire decision, they had also expressed concerns on their freedom to travel and reorganize the movement based on new leadership, and to take part as a reliable interlocutor of the Government in the implementation of the Lusaka Protocol. 

Mr. Gambari said the Secretary-General had decided to send him back to Angola to assess the situation on the ground in view of the rapidly developing events, and to seek clarifications from the Angolan Government and other stakeholders on the role of the United Nations as a mediator in the conflict.  He would also be on hand to assist the peace process in whatever way possible and to reinforce the efforts of the United Nations Office in Angola (UNOA) in Luanda.

What had not changed, said the Special Adviser, was Angola's humanitarian situation, which was still critical.  It was estimated that there were 50,000 new cases of internally displaced persons every month.  If that trend continued, the current figure of 4.1 million internally displaced persons (out of a total population of 12 million) would probably rise to 4.3 to 4.6 million.   Moreover, access to humanitarian assistance for those most in need would worsen, as it had in some areas where there was still fighting. 

Mr. Gambari stressed that there was really an enormous need for the Angolan Government to do more to provide assistance, which they had promised to do, and for the international community to be more generous.  Unfortunately the response to the Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal had not been very encouraging.  He believed that was largely because many donor nations believed that Angola was a

rich country, which it was.  But that wealth would not be realized until there was peace.

A correspondent wanted to know if Mr. Savimbi's death had prompted any of his followers to give themselves up.  Mr. Gambari said there was a meeting taking place right now between military officials of UNITA and the Government on how to make the truce hold, on a cessation of hostilities, a ceasefire and the preparation for peace talks.  The problem, however, was that there were many UNITAs at this time.  There was the UNITA which was fighting in the country; the two sets of UNITA parliamentarians -- UNITA Renovada, which leaned towards the Government, and UNITA parliamentarians, which were close to the late Mr. Savimbi. 

The fourth UNITA, continued Mr. Gambari, was made up of those officials who were outside of Angola.  "So really, it is very important to get them to organize so that there can be a single voice of UNITA", he said.  So far, however, the response from the movement had been very optimistic and positive.  For the first time there was really a chance for peace, but it depended on how everyone behaved.

Responding to a question on the lifting of the travel ban on UNITA officials, Mr. Gambari said that if UNITA was to be allowed to come up with its own new leadership, it would be logical to suspend the travel ban.  But, that had to be done by the Security Council.  It could happen in a number of ways -– by a Council member, the Angolan Government, or the Secretary-General –- believing that in the interests of peace the ban should be suspended.  “I would like to emphasize that what is being spoken about now is just a suspension of the travel –- all other aspects of the sanctions have to be left in place until the peace process is irreversible.”

He said that there had been several discussions on the need to lift the travel ban, and what he had done today was simply point towards revisiting the issue.  "I believe we should encourage UNITA to get together, organize and come up with a new leadership", he said.

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