UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
3 Mar
2009
UN Secretary-General Recommends New Reinforcement of MONUC Strength and Extension of its Mandate
'The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, recommends new reinforcement of MONUC strength to secure the province of Katanga, in anticipation of the upcoming elections,' the Director of Public Information and Spokesperson of MONUC, Mr. Kemal Saiki told the news conference. 'In his last security report, Mr. Annan recommended one year- prolongation of MONUC mandate until 1st October 2006 and further contribution of an additional 2,580 troops, including two helicopter-borne units for the province of Katanga,' said Mr. Saïki, before précising, 'the current MONUC mandate is to expire this Saturday.'
In this respect, 'the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the DRC, William Lacy Swing, left Monday for New York, the UN seat, to present the new UN Secretary-General's report on the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo,' the Director of Public Information further said.
Moreover, 'the UN Secretary General appointed Monday, Mr. Haile Menkerios (Eritrea) Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for the DRC,' said MONUC Spokesman. Mr. Kemal highlighted, 'Mr. Menkerios, who is due to arrive in DRC early October, previously served as Director of the Africa 1 Division from 2003 to June 2005 in the Department of Political Affairs, at UN seat,' and further indicated, 'in 2002, Mr. Menkerios served as senior Advisor for Moustapha Niasse, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to the Inter Congolese talks, and participated in every aspect of the mediation process leading to the all-inclusive agreement signed in Sun City, South Africa, on 17 December 2002.'
Within the framework of its logistic support to the electoral process in terms of transport of the electoral kits, MONUC has, since the launch of the voter identification and registration operations, last 20 June, 'assured 1,314 flights in support of the electoral process, making up 1,651,19 hours of flights and 3,500 tones of freight,' reported the Director of Public Information.
MONUC Human Rights Division 'continues to probe into the cases of human rights abuses linked to the electoral process. The investigations thus far documented cases of people detained for allegedly assuming wrongly the Congolese nationality in Bukavu, South Kivu,' the Chief of Public Information said.
He recalled, 'The members of the tripartite Commission ' Uganda, the DRC and Rwanda ' issued, on 25 August, an ultimatum to the foreign combatants operating in Eastern DRC. They were given up to the end of September 2005 to implement their own decision to lay down weapons and to return to their country of origin.' Mr. Kemal Saïki also said, 'Mr. Swing told a press conference Monday in Kinshasa that sanctions will be decided against the foreign armed groups present in the Democratic Republic of Congo.'
The Spokesperson pointed out, 'MONUC and the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) would maintain pressures on the foreign armed groups to bring them to adhere to the disarmament, reintegration, resettlement or repatriation programme MONUC (DDRRR process.'
'MONUC is ready to support the actions to be initiated by the FARDC after 30 Septembre 2005 to force the foreign combatants to return to their country of origin. It will as well continue to seek information on the whereabouts of Laurent Nkunda and will do everything in its power to hand him over to the Congolese Court to face justice,' highlighted Lieutenant-colonel Thierry Provendier (MONUC military spokesperson).
On the issue regarding the foreign combatants present in the Congolese territory, 'MONUC closely collaborates with the Transition Government to swiftly sort out the issue of the Ugandan rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army,' the Director of Public Information said. To this end, 'MONUC military officials participated in two missions last week. On the invitation of General Aronda, Ugandan chief of army staff, MONUC Force commander, General Gaye travelled to Kampala Friday 23 September. He was accompanied by a delegation of the Congolese Armed Forces and the acting Director of MONUC political division,' further said Lieutenant-colonel Thierry Provendier.
'General Gaye appreciated that Ugandan Army wants to develop a real cooperation with MONUC and the FARDC for a peaceful and swift settlement of the issue on the presence of LRA in DR Congo,' noted the military spokesperson. 'As a result of the Kampala mission, a joint mission MONUC and FARDC headed by General Padiri, the head of the 9th military region, travelled to Aba, Haut Uélé on Sunday 25 September. The mission confirmed the presence of 382 LRA combatants and made it clear that the only option for the latter, after entering the DRC territory illegally, is to disarm and return to their country of origin without any preconditions,' said Lieutenant-colonel Provendier. 'The LRA rebels therefore have to adhere to MONUC DDRRR programme. Otherwise they will expose themselves to FARDC attacks. MONUC is ready to give its support to the Congolese government in general and, in particular, the FARDC units tasked to carry out the forced disarmament,' concluded MONUC military spokesperson.
Moreover, 'the UN Secretary General appointed Monday, Mr. Haile Menkerios (Eritrea) Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for the DRC,' said MONUC Spokesman. Mr. Kemal highlighted, 'Mr. Menkerios, who is due to arrive in DRC early October, previously served as Director of the Africa 1 Division from 2003 to June 2005 in the Department of Political Affairs, at UN seat,' and further indicated, 'in 2002, Mr. Menkerios served as senior Advisor for Moustapha Niasse, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy to the Inter Congolese talks, and participated in every aspect of the mediation process leading to the all-inclusive agreement signed in Sun City, South Africa, on 17 December 2002.'
Within the framework of its logistic support to the electoral process in terms of transport of the electoral kits, MONUC has, since the launch of the voter identification and registration operations, last 20 June, 'assured 1,314 flights in support of the electoral process, making up 1,651,19 hours of flights and 3,500 tones of freight,' reported the Director of Public Information.
MONUC Human Rights Division 'continues to probe into the cases of human rights abuses linked to the electoral process. The investigations thus far documented cases of people detained for allegedly assuming wrongly the Congolese nationality in Bukavu, South Kivu,' the Chief of Public Information said.
He recalled, 'The members of the tripartite Commission ' Uganda, the DRC and Rwanda ' issued, on 25 August, an ultimatum to the foreign combatants operating in Eastern DRC. They were given up to the end of September 2005 to implement their own decision to lay down weapons and to return to their country of origin.' Mr. Kemal Saïki also said, 'Mr. Swing told a press conference Monday in Kinshasa that sanctions will be decided against the foreign armed groups present in the Democratic Republic of Congo.'
The Spokesperson pointed out, 'MONUC and the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) would maintain pressures on the foreign armed groups to bring them to adhere to the disarmament, reintegration, resettlement or repatriation programme MONUC (DDRRR process.'
'MONUC is ready to support the actions to be initiated by the FARDC after 30 Septembre 2005 to force the foreign combatants to return to their country of origin. It will as well continue to seek information on the whereabouts of Laurent Nkunda and will do everything in its power to hand him over to the Congolese Court to face justice,' highlighted Lieutenant-colonel Thierry Provendier (MONUC military spokesperson).
On the issue regarding the foreign combatants present in the Congolese territory, 'MONUC closely collaborates with the Transition Government to swiftly sort out the issue of the Ugandan rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army,' the Director of Public Information said. To this end, 'MONUC military officials participated in two missions last week. On the invitation of General Aronda, Ugandan chief of army staff, MONUC Force commander, General Gaye travelled to Kampala Friday 23 September. He was accompanied by a delegation of the Congolese Armed Forces and the acting Director of MONUC political division,' further said Lieutenant-colonel Thierry Provendier.
'General Gaye appreciated that Ugandan Army wants to develop a real cooperation with MONUC and the FARDC for a peaceful and swift settlement of the issue on the presence of LRA in DR Congo,' noted the military spokesperson. 'As a result of the Kampala mission, a joint mission MONUC and FARDC headed by General Padiri, the head of the 9th military region, travelled to Aba, Haut Uélé on Sunday 25 September. The mission confirmed the presence of 382 LRA combatants and made it clear that the only option for the latter, after entering the DRC territory illegally, is to disarm and return to their country of origin without any preconditions,' said Lieutenant-colonel Provendier. 'The LRA rebels therefore have to adhere to MONUC DDRRR programme. Otherwise they will expose themselves to FARDC attacks. MONUC is ready to give its support to the Congolese government in general and, in particular, the FARDC units tasked to carry out the forced disarmament,' concluded MONUC military spokesperson.
