PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECRETARY-GENERAL’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR SIERRA LEONE

PRESS CONFERENCE BY SECRETARY-GENERAL’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR SIERRA LEONE

With the peacekeeping operation there coming to a successful close, Sierra Leone remained fragile but ready to enter its next phase of development, and what it most needed now was peacebuilding, Daudi Ngelautwa Mwakawago, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General to that country, said today at a Headquarters press conference.

Reviewing the Security Council’s list of benchmarks for measuring success, Mr. Mwakawago said the Sierra Leonean Government had expanded its authority throughout the country and reintegrated more than 70,000 ex-combatants into society.  Meanwhile, the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) was on track to reach its target of recruiting and deploying 9,500 police officers by the end of the year.

The country was also making progress on securing and regulating the diamond trade, he noted.  Official diamond exports soared from $10 million in 2000 to $130 million last year, though 50 per cent of the industry still lay outside of Government control.

He likened the presence of UNAMSIL over the last six years to a “beautiful carpet” that had provided full security and needed services.  “Now we are rolling the carpet”, he said, “and what you see is not very good.”

Among the challenges still facing Sierra Leone were widespread poverty and illiteracy, a poor infrastructure, and the fact that two of the country’s 5 million people were unemployed youth.  Since some of them were involved in the civil war, there was concern that they might return to the only trade they knew.  He called on development partners to find ways to employ them.

Highlighting some of the country’s assets, he noted its rich soil and vast mineral resources.  The question was how to take advantage of those assets in a way that benefited the nation’s people.

Asked whether Sierra Leone would be a good candidate for the Peacebuilding Commission, he said it would, but noted that it was unclear when the Commission would be up and running.  “ Sierra Leone needs help now”, he said.  “When the Peacebuilding Commission gets started, Sierra Leone would still be a good candidate.”

As for whether Sierra Leone could yet slide back into conflict, he said that was highly unlikely.  People were tired of war, and the many amputees provided a constant reminder of the devastation.  The presence of peacekeepers in neighbouring Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire added an extra element of stability by checking the free flow of bad elements in the entire area.  With those missions already in the region, it would not take nearly as long to mobilize a force if any conflict did arise in Sierra Leone.

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For information media • not an official record