DR of Congo: ceasefire holding, but situation still 'fragile,' UN envoy says

Despite a ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) that has held for the last six months, the situation in that country remains "fragile," a United Nations envoy said today.

"We went [forward] a great deal compared with the situation last year," Kamel Morjane, the Special Representative of Secretary-General Kofi Annan in the DRC, told the press at UN Headquarters in New York. "Certainly our relations with the parties are much better today."

He noted, however, that there were still difficulties: "We have to continue efforts, in particular in the east, where there is still fighting between the Rwandese forces and the RCD [Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie] on the one side, and the armed forces on the other."

Mr. Morjane spoke to reporters after he briefed the Security Council on political developments and military aspects, including disarmament and demobilization of armed groups, as well as the humanitarian and social situation in the country. He also updated Council members on the efforts to re-start navigation on the Congo River.