In progress at UNHQ

PRESS BRIEFING ON SECURITY COUNCIL MISSION TO CENTRAL AFRICA

15/11/2004
Press Briefing

press briefing on Security Council mission to central africa

 


The Security Council mission to Central Africa from 20 to 26 November would emphasize the importance of stability and security in the region and express support for the peace processes under way in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi, mission leader Jean-Marc de La Sablière (France) said this morning at a Headquarters press briefing.


He said the mission would visit Kinshasa, the Congolese capital, for one and a half days, after which it would visit Bukavu, in the east of that country, for half a day.  It would then depart for Bujumbura, Burundi, as it had done last year, and also visit Kampala, Uganda, to meet with President YoweriMuseveni.  On 21 November, it would meet with President Paul Kagame of Rwanda.


The mission, whose purpose was to maintain the dynamics of the peace processes, came at the right time as the Congolese and Burundi crises had been settled and Burundi was now committed to the 2005 election process, he said.  In addition, the Council would note efforts made on the ground by the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), the Organization’s biggest and most important peacekeeping operation, encompassing 16,500 troops.  Also, the United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) was now almost at its full strength of 550 personnel.


He said the mission’s visit to the region would follow the Great Lakes Summit Conference, to be held on 19 and 20 November in Dar-es-Salaam, capital of the United Republic of Tanzania.  The Council team would emphasize that it was up to the various parties involved to achieve reconciliation and dialogue, and that the international community would support those efforts.  The mission would also encourage dialogue and cooperation among countries in the region, express concern about cross-border issues, including the implementation of arms embargoes, and condemn the illegal exploitation of natural resources and violations of human rights.


In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the mission would express concerns about the slow implementation of measures to achieve the road map leading to elections in 2005, he said, stressing the need to accelerate efforts to create conditions for those elections, including safety and security, and the adoption of a constitution.  President Kagame would be urged to exercise his influence to encourage stability.  The mission would also urge parties not to lend support to armed groups and to support border verification measures.


He said that, in Burundi, the mission would express support for the efforts of the Transitional Government to hold the 2005 elections and adopt an interim constitution.  Unlike last year’s Council mission to the region, there would be no contact with the Forces for National Liberation (FNL).  Uganda’s President Museveni would be urged to exercise his influence in order to ensure that his country was not used for destabilization activities.


Asked what progress had been made, Mr. de La Sablière said that the crisis in Bukavu had been overcome and the road map towards elections had been adopted, as had laws on amnesty and preparations for elections.  Joint committees with countries assisting the Democratic Republic of the Congo had been established on security, legislation and elections.  Belgium was assisting in efforts to establish an integrated army, France was helping to set up a rapid-response police force and border verification mechanisms were being established.  It was possible to hold elections in 2005 and the Great Lakes Summit would help to build trust.  The MONUC was being strengthened to address problems in the Kivu area, also in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.


In Burundi, he continued, agreement had been reached with the Conseil national pour la défense de la démocratie-Forces pour la défense de la démocratie (CNDD-FDD).  While the group had been fighting last year, it was now part of the transitional process and was pursuing the fight against the FNL.  About 95 per cent of Burundi’s territory was now stable.


Responding to a question about the Council’s contacts with other countries, he said South Africa was playing a considerable role in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and in Burundi, but because of time constraints, the mission could not visit that country.  The Council had also been in consultation with other countries, such as Angola and Belgium, in capitals and at Headquarters.


Asked about Côte d’Ivoire, he said the Council would vote this afternoon on a draft resolution proposing an arms embargo.  A communiqué from a meeting of African leaders held in Abuja, Nigeria last week had expressed support for the proposed embargo and other measures.


He added that the vote was to have taken place last Friday, but South African President Thabo Mbeki had requested a postponement so that the measure could include an amendment to the effect that the proposed embargo would be implemented immediately instead of on 10 December.  Out of courtesy, the Council had complied with that request, he said, noting that the Council was working closely with the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in seeking a political solution.


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For information media. Not an official record.