UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
3 Mar
2009
Progress is being made in the preparation of elections, MONUC electoral unit says
Progress is being made in the preparation of elections, MONUC electoral unit says
Preparations for the elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, scheduled for June 2005 have made some real progress, the head of the UN electoral Unit in DRC, Mr. Ali Diabacté, declared on Wednesday during the Mission's weekly news conference.
Mr. Diabacté described the promulgation of the organic law on the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) as a positive step. He said the law empowers the CEI, the body tasked to organize elections in DRC, to function effectively and to put in place its field offices.
The head of the Electoral Unit said progress was also made in organising a census through the drafting of the methodology and terms of reference to be used. A sensitizing campaign on the census will be organized throughout the country in the next few days, he announced. At the legislative level, he said that two important laws 'on the census and on nationality ' would be adopted in the course of the month of July, to authorize the census of voters for more or less four months.
Moreover, the International Community expressed its willingness to fund the elections, and the DRC Government pledged to earmark a portion of its budget for the electoral process, Mr. Diabacté said, adding that Germany, Belgium, Canada, the USA, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Sweden, as well as the European Union, pledged their financial contribution for the DRC electoral process.
In the same development, Ms. Patricia Tome, Head of MONUC's Public Information Office, indicated that the total amount for the organization of the general elections is $300 million. ''The third portion of the amount has already been released. Additional contribution will be made to bring it to 50 % of the total amount, to make it more substantial'', Ms. Tome declared, indicating that the International Community's commitment is ''proof that it still believes in the transitional process and the elections''. She further indicated that if another $600 million were allocated to MONUC from the UN's annual budget, we would have every reason to conclude that the support is always there to enable to ''carry through the transition'' and ''all the financial and logistic means will be made available to support the transition''.
Ms. Tome said the visit of several high-level delegations to Kinshasa was proof of the continuing support of the International Community. She urged the Congolese to 'witness both the interest and concern of the International Community towards the ongoing situation in the DRC that risks deteriorating''.
Furthermore, MONUC's military spokesman, Major Abou Thiam, updated the press on the situation in the Kivus. He confirmed that the DRC armed forces had regained control of Kamanyola district. Jules Mutebutsi and his troops found refuge in Rwanda, he said.
Commander Thiam thereafter recalled that MONUC helicopters opened fired on Mutebutsi's troops in Kamanyola in retaliation to the obstacle to the Mission's freedom of movement and activities as well as to an open attack on one of its mine clearing patrols.
Major Thiam announced that the Kivu brigade turned over to the commander of the 10th military region a very large number of weapons and ammunition recovered from Bukavu.
The situation in the Kivus does not put on the back burner activities of the Ituri brigade, Major Thiam indicated, adding that this brigade will pursue its mission of protecting people and participating in the development of the zones of deployment.
The United Nations Security Council issued a statement on the ongoing situation in eastern DRC and warned all parties against any attempt of taking power by force. At the beginning of the news conference, Ms. Tome read the statement in full before it was distributed to the press.
Mr. Diabacté described the promulgation of the organic law on the Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) as a positive step. He said the law empowers the CEI, the body tasked to organize elections in DRC, to function effectively and to put in place its field offices.
The head of the Electoral Unit said progress was also made in organising a census through the drafting of the methodology and terms of reference to be used. A sensitizing campaign on the census will be organized throughout the country in the next few days, he announced. At the legislative level, he said that two important laws 'on the census and on nationality ' would be adopted in the course of the month of July, to authorize the census of voters for more or less four months.
Moreover, the International Community expressed its willingness to fund the elections, and the DRC Government pledged to earmark a portion of its budget for the electoral process, Mr. Diabacté said, adding that Germany, Belgium, Canada, the USA, France, Italy, the United Kingdom and Sweden, as well as the European Union, pledged their financial contribution for the DRC electoral process.
In the same development, Ms. Patricia Tome, Head of MONUC's Public Information Office, indicated that the total amount for the organization of the general elections is $300 million. ''The third portion of the amount has already been released. Additional contribution will be made to bring it to 50 % of the total amount, to make it more substantial'', Ms. Tome declared, indicating that the International Community's commitment is ''proof that it still believes in the transitional process and the elections''. She further indicated that if another $600 million were allocated to MONUC from the UN's annual budget, we would have every reason to conclude that the support is always there to enable to ''carry through the transition'' and ''all the financial and logistic means will be made available to support the transition''.
Ms. Tome said the visit of several high-level delegations to Kinshasa was proof of the continuing support of the International Community. She urged the Congolese to 'witness both the interest and concern of the International Community towards the ongoing situation in the DRC that risks deteriorating''.
Furthermore, MONUC's military spokesman, Major Abou Thiam, updated the press on the situation in the Kivus. He confirmed that the DRC armed forces had regained control of Kamanyola district. Jules Mutebutsi and his troops found refuge in Rwanda, he said.
Commander Thiam thereafter recalled that MONUC helicopters opened fired on Mutebutsi's troops in Kamanyola in retaliation to the obstacle to the Mission's freedom of movement and activities as well as to an open attack on one of its mine clearing patrols.
Major Thiam announced that the Kivu brigade turned over to the commander of the 10th military region a very large number of weapons and ammunition recovered from Bukavu.
The situation in the Kivus does not put on the back burner activities of the Ituri brigade, Major Thiam indicated, adding that this brigade will pursue its mission of protecting people and participating in the development of the zones of deployment.
The United Nations Security Council issued a statement on the ongoing situation in eastern DRC and warned all parties against any attempt of taking power by force. At the beginning of the news conference, Ms. Tome read the statement in full before it was distributed to the press.
