Liberia making efforts to reform civilian aviation administration: Annan

The Government of Liberia is making efforts to reform its civil aviation administration with the help of the United Nations International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a report issued today in New York.

The report followed a request by the Security Council for information on steps Liberia has taken to improve its capacity in air traffic control and surveillance in compliance with the sanctions imposed in March 2001 in Council resolution 1343.

That resolution had demanded that Liberian authorities ground all Liberia-registered aircraft operating within its jurisdiction until they updated their register of aircraft, and provide the updated information to the Council.

Resolution 1343 also demanded that the Liberian Government immediately cease its support for the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) in Sierra Leone and that it expel all RUF members from Liberia, prohibit all RUF activities on its territory, cease all financial and military support to the Sierra Leonean rebel group, cease all direct or indirect import of Sierra Leone rough diamonds not controlled through Freetown's Certificate of Origin regime, and freeze financial resources made available within its territory for the benefit of the RUF.