Press Review 17 February 2005
LE PHARE comments on the issue about the budget 2005 presented to the parliament by the government. «It should be noted that the budget 2005 attaches great importance to the electoral timing, the funding from the HIPC resources in the struggle against poverty, and finally, the appropriate macro-economic resources», the paper says, quoting the Minister of Budget, François Mwamba.
According to L'AVENIR, «this budget is aimed to offset the imbalance between the income and expenses, say 751 billion Congolese Francs», noting, «this year's income has increased by 34% and so for the expenses that have increased by 42%. Priority is given to the elections, army and police integration as well as social and internal debts», LA REFERENCE PLUS says.
Referring to the elections, LA REFERENCE PLUS and LE PALMARES have published the declaration issued by the « Platform opposed to the prolongation of the DRC Transition and standing for the elections by 30 June 2005 in DRC ' alluding to the Special Envoy of the European Union for the Great Lakes region's statement about the DRC transition and elections. «The European Union voiced its opinion in light of the realities on the ground, that prolongation of the election is unavoidable but the elections should take place by 31 December 2005 », LA REFERENCE PLUS says.
L'OBSERVATEUR reports that MONUC spokesman, Mamadou Bah, announced the official inauguration by the army staff of MONUC Eastern division based in Kisangani. «The new division is under the command of a two stars General, Patrick Cammaert, former adviser for military affairs at DPKO in New York will be tasked to coordinate the brigade's activities, namely, the Ituri and South Kivu brigades to be backed by rapid reaction battalion», the paper says, indicating that «the division is expected to create a climate conducive to the elections».
With respect to MONUC news conference, LE PHARE reports the acquisition of a satellite «to spy Kabila and Kagamé's movements». Referring to MONUC military spokesman, Colonel Yves Duhamel's statement's over «the use of a satellite in Eastern DRC' concludes, «as of now MONUC will be able to monitor all the ground movements by the negative forces».
LA TEMPETE DES TROPIQUES also quotes MONUC spokesman as indicating, «MONUC hailed the opening of the parliament's extraordinary session on Tuesday, hoping that the Congolese government will increase its contribution for the elections to 10% of the overall budget assessed at 285 million dollars by the CEI », Mr. Bah said.
L'AVENIR, for its part, reports « the closing of MONUC office in Kikwit and the withdrawal of all MONUC troops from Bandundu province», quoting the UN Mission's military spokesman, Colonel Duhamel. He further added, «reactions over the deployment of MONUC troops to Kikwit is a result of the population's manipulation by political stakeholders».