Annan appeals for funds for post-conflict Sierra Leone

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan is appealing for funds to help the Sierra Leonean military and police "quickly improve their overall capability and project a credible deterrence profile" as progress is made in consolidating peace in the West African country.

In his latest report to the UN Security Council on post-conflict rehabilitation by the UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), he urges UN Member States to give generously to the meet the country's logistics and infrastructure needs.

He expresses concern about the number of "foreign combatants in Liberia and the Liberian internees who still remain in Sierra Leone," but expects them to be repatriated as the Liberian peace process takes hold.

"The ongoing efforts to stabilize Liberia are already beginning to have a positive impact on the situation in the whole of the Mano River region," he adds.

Noting that Liberia's interim leader, Gyude Bryant, has visited neighbouring countries to improve bilateral relations, Mr. Annan encourages leaders in the subregion to build on this development and revitalize the Mano River Union, whose members are Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea.