PRESS BRIEFING BY SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR LIBERIA

At a Headquarters press briefing today, Jacques Klein, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Liberia, said the overall political and security situation in Liberia was growing more stable every day, and he believed that process was now irreversible.  There would inevitably be challenges in the implementation process, but what was important was that the Liberian people themselves were committed to the peace process and were determined not to let that opportunity slip away.

In view of Liberia’s needs for financial assistance and prospects for the February donors conference, it was incumbent on the international community to assist Liberians at this critical juncture in their history, he said.  Stabilizing that country was not only imperative for its people, but for the whole region, because Liberia was the key to political stability in West Africa.  “If we fail in Liberia, I need not spell out the consequences for the region”, he said.

Describing Liberia as “work in progress”, Mr. Klein said an opportunity now existed for the international community to help that country out of its recurring cycle of violence.  The prospects for that were greater today than at anytime in Liberia’s recent past, and it was time to end the West African country’s agony and give its people the future they deserved.

Also present at today’s briefing, Julia Taft, Assistant Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), told the briefing that with all the bad news from everywhere, the good news was that Liberia seemed to be holding a lot of hope for its future.  A meeting was under way at Headquarters today at which the United Nations and its family of funds, programmes and specialized agencies was discussing with a number of countries, non-governmental organizations and members of the national transition Government of Liberia the needs of Liberia in various sectors of major concern.  A transitional framework for funding was being developed, and a report was being prepared that would be presented to donors on 5 and 6 February.

She said that never before had there been one team working in such great harmony on examining the building blocks for launching the consolidation of peace.  Very extensive dialogue, discussion and sharing had resulted in a harmonious approach for donors on how to go forward on an integrated plan over the next two years.

At the February meeting, between $400 million and $500 million would be requested for the first two years, excluding the existing requirements for the humanitarian investment outlined in last November’s comprehensive appeal of $170 million, she said.  In her view, there was solidarity on that point.  The United States had already indicated a large level of commitment to Liberia with about $200 million.

Asked by a correspondent where the Liberian mission stood concerning getting the required troop commitments to bring the force up to strength, Mr. Klein said the process was always slow when a new mission was launched.  Although a force of 15,000 was authorized, as of 16 December he had 6,000 for a mission that began on 1 October last year -- today, he had 9,000.  The obvious goal of a secure and safe environment in the country would not be possible to achieve until he had the full force, which he hoped would be in place by the end of February or early March.  As soon as he had the full force, he was confident he could then do the kind of job needed in terms of demobilization and getting the weapons out of people’s hands.

However, he was quick to point out that he was “not unhappy” so far, as of today the mission had already demilitarized 12,664 combatants, representing 31 per cent of the total, and had collected over 9,000 weapons.  Many wanted to give up their weapons, but “we’re not out there yet able to collect them.  That’s really the tragedy in a way”.

Asked if he felt the US Department of Defense was doing enough in Liberia in the demobilization process and, if not, what would he like them to do, Mr. Klein responded that the United States was playing an active role, through the provision of military advisers.  He saw a key role for the US in the long-term restructuring of the Liberian army and in strengthening the country’ border service to control immigration and the smuggling of weapons, as well as helping to prevent illegal fishing off the coast.

Only two months ago, he had been very pessimistic, as there was no money on the table, he said.  When suddenly he had found out that $445 million had somehow been appropriated and allocated by the US Congress, he had been overwhelmed ($200 million was to be used bilaterally by the US Ambassador in Liberia, and the remaining $245 million was to cover peacekeeping costs for two years).  That had put him on solid footing, and he now could legitimately say to whoever came to the February meeting:  “Here is the $200 million from the US.  Here is the $50-some million from the European Union.  Where is yours?”

Mr. Klein and Ms. Taft said that Liberia with such a small population was a rich country that just needed to harness its abundant natural resources and  create the modalities for the exploitation of its wealth by eliminating corruption and other similar vices that had been endemic under the Charles Taylor regime.  Mr. Klein said he was working closely with the current transition government towards achieving that goal.

Asked specifically what was going to happen to Taylor, Mr. Klein said he did not want to overemphasize his (Taylor’s) influence, noting many of the former President’s ministers were now working with the transition government because they saw “which way the wind is blowing”.  He said he could not say what his future held except that the world owed the Nigerian Government a debt for taking him in because no one else was prepared to either remove him or take him.  The question now was to keep him under control so that he did not “jump the border” into some neighbouring country and start some new undesirable activity.

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