Sierra Leone: UN envoy appeals for full-scale peace-building efforts

The top United Nations official in Sierra Leone has called on the people of the country to channel all their energy towards full-scale peace-building now that the first phase of restoring peace is almost complete.

Oluyemi Adeniji, who heads the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), made the call on Tuesday in the eastern town of Koidu at a ceremony marking the commencement of work to rebuild a market destroyed during the war.

The market, which Mr. Adeniji said could serve as a rallying point for the people of the Kono District where Koidu is located, is being rebuilt by recently disarmed ex-combatants as one of UNAMSIL's quick impact projects. The effort is funded by the UN Development Programme and the British Government.

More than 400 ex-combatants will be employed in the project, which will be completed within two months.