UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
3 Mar
2009
United Nations Security Council reviewed the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo last Tues
The United Nations Security Council met behind closed doors in New York on Tuesday to review the situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo following recent events in Eastern DRC and reports, which were confirmed by MONUC on 21 April, regarding the presence of Rwandan troops on Congolese soil. The report was released by Ms Patricia Tome, Head of MONUC Public Information on Wednesday during the UN Mission?s weekly press conference.
''During the UN Security Council debates, 15 of its members expressed concern over recent developments and apprehension about the negative impacts they could have on the peace process in the region'', indicated Ms. Tome, adding that ''the Security Council highlighted the need for the DRC and Rwandan Governments to work together for the restoration of confidence and to fulfil their commitments made in September and November 2003''.
The UN's position is to urge the putting-in-place of a joint mechanism by the DRC and Rwanda aimed to conduct investigations and to find a bilateral solution to the security-relating issue along the common border, added Ms. Tome.
The Security Council did not issue any public statement after the Tuesday meeting. A declaration from the president of the Security Council is awaited for the next few days.
The Head of Public Information informed the journalists of the return of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for the DRC, William Swing, to Kinshasa after a brief visit to Brussels where he held a series of talks with the Belgian Prime Minister, Louis Michel; the European Union's task force for Africa, and Mr. Javier Solana, the European Commissioner for External Relations. ''Mr. Swing updated his interlocutors on the ongoing situation in the DRC, more particularly the electoral process. The Special Representative particularly stressed the necessary resources and indispensable assistance which the International Community in general, and the European Union in particular, can provide for the holding of the elections within the time frame set'', says Ms Tome.
Furthermore, the first meeting between the transitional government and the chiefs of the Ituri armed groups is scheduled to take place in Kinshasa on Thursday. The meeting is convened by the transitional government to re-launch consultations with armed groups, following a previous meeting organised in Kinshasa last August. Having facilitated the meeting, MONUC hails the initiative and hopes that it will constitute an important step towards the establishment of the Government's administration throughout the DRC in general and Ituri in particular.
The military spokesman, in turn, flagged an alarming situation in Lemera district (South Kivu), where 24,700 displaced people is reported, apparently caused by rumours about possible clashes between the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). He also announced that the deployment of the Kivu Brigade was proceeding. 'The entire 2nd company was due to arrive in Bukavu and one platoon in Uvira at the beginning of the week'', he said. The Ituri Brigade was carrying on its operations aimed to secure populations and their properties. In this regard, as of Wednesday, it conducted 4,715 foot-patrols; 13,570 motorized patrols; 11,704 presence in different sites and 19 cases where it used chapter 7.
Also present at the press conference was Marcel Quirion, Director of the UN's anti-mine department, who updated the journalists on the DRC's landmine problems, the ongoing activities and obligations of the Congolese Government within the framework of the Ottawa treaty. In substance, Mr. Quirion, indicated that there were anti-personnel mines in the DRC have already killed 1,000 people. He indicated that, according to preliminary investigations, though not exhaustive yet, these mines are concentrated along two axes, namely on the cease-fire line and at the Eastern border. Mr. Quirion noted that several organisms, including MONUC through a South African trading firm, were carrying out mine action work to prevent further accidents in several parts of the country.
The UN's position is to urge the putting-in-place of a joint mechanism by the DRC and Rwanda aimed to conduct investigations and to find a bilateral solution to the security-relating issue along the common border, added Ms. Tome.
The Security Council did not issue any public statement after the Tuesday meeting. A declaration from the president of the Security Council is awaited for the next few days.
The Head of Public Information informed the journalists of the return of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for the DRC, William Swing, to Kinshasa after a brief visit to Brussels where he held a series of talks with the Belgian Prime Minister, Louis Michel; the European Union's task force for Africa, and Mr. Javier Solana, the European Commissioner for External Relations. ''Mr. Swing updated his interlocutors on the ongoing situation in the DRC, more particularly the electoral process. The Special Representative particularly stressed the necessary resources and indispensable assistance which the International Community in general, and the European Union in particular, can provide for the holding of the elections within the time frame set'', says Ms Tome.
Furthermore, the first meeting between the transitional government and the chiefs of the Ituri armed groups is scheduled to take place in Kinshasa on Thursday. The meeting is convened by the transitional government to re-launch consultations with armed groups, following a previous meeting organised in Kinshasa last August. Having facilitated the meeting, MONUC hails the initiative and hopes that it will constitute an important step towards the establishment of the Government's administration throughout the DRC in general and Ituri in particular.
The military spokesman, in turn, flagged an alarming situation in Lemera district (South Kivu), where 24,700 displaced people is reported, apparently caused by rumours about possible clashes between the DRC Armed Forces (FARDC) and the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR). He also announced that the deployment of the Kivu Brigade was proceeding. 'The entire 2nd company was due to arrive in Bukavu and one platoon in Uvira at the beginning of the week'', he said. The Ituri Brigade was carrying on its operations aimed to secure populations and their properties. In this regard, as of Wednesday, it conducted 4,715 foot-patrols; 13,570 motorized patrols; 11,704 presence in different sites and 19 cases where it used chapter 7.
Also present at the press conference was Marcel Quirion, Director of the UN's anti-mine department, who updated the journalists on the DRC's landmine problems, the ongoing activities and obligations of the Congolese Government within the framework of the Ottawa treaty. In substance, Mr. Quirion, indicated that there were anti-personnel mines in the DRC have already killed 1,000 people. He indicated that, according to preliminary investigations, though not exhaustive yet, these mines are concentrated along two axes, namely on the cease-fire line and at the Eastern border. Mr. Quirion noted that several organisms, including MONUC through a South African trading firm, were carrying out mine action work to prevent further accidents in several parts of the country.
