SECRETARY-GENERAL NAMES MOUSTAPHA NIASSE (SENEGAL) SPECIAL ENVOY TO FACILITATE

AGREEMENT ON POWER SHARING DURING TRANSITION IN DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Any Agreement Reached Will Be Endorsed in Framework of Inter-Congolese Dialogue

The Secretary-General has appointed the former Prime Minister of Senegal, Moustapha Niasse, as his Special Envoy to help the Congolese parties reach an all-inclusive agreement on power sharing during the transitional period in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  The appointment is part of the overall United Nations contribution to restoring peace and stability in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and, to that end, the Special Envoy will consult with the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC).  Any agreement reached would then be endorsed in the framework of the inter-Congolese dialogue.

Special Envoy Niasse will consult closely with the Organization of African Unity (OAU), the countries of the region and the Facilitator of the inter-Congolese dialogue, Sir Ketumile Masire.  Mr. Niasse will travel to Lusaka and Addis Ababa for meetings with the Chairman and Secretary-General of the OAU, respectively.  He will visit the Democratic Republic of the Congo for discussions with the Congolese parties, and then to Gaborone and Pretoria for consultations with the Facilitator and the Government of South Africa, which hosted the Sun City session of the inter-Congolese dialogue.

Special Envoy Niasse will be accompanied by Haile Menkerios, Senior Adviser, and assisted by Political Affairs Officers from the Department of Political Affairs and MONUC.

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