Annan commends Liberians on electoral progress but highlights ex-combatant problems

Liberians have made steady progress in preparing for the October national elections, but the re-integration of ex-combatants, vital to heading off the re-recruitment of fighters and an increase in crime, is facing a funding shortfall, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says.

As of 24 August, 37,500 demobilized ex-combatants have been placed in rehabilitation and reintegration projects funded bilaterally and another 35,448 in projects funded by the UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Disarmament, Demobilization, Reintegration and Rehabilitation (DDRR) Trust Fund, he tells the Security Council in his latest report on the West African country emerging from years of civil war.

"Despite this progress, some 26,000 ex-combatants have still not been able to participate in the reintegration and rehabilitation programme, which faces a funding shortfall of approximately $18.5 million," Mr. Annan says.

Despite contributions of $15 million from the United States, $9.5 million from the European Commission and $3.4 million from Sweden, a further $7 million is required to meet the costs of ex-combatant schooling since the National Commission on DDRR, which includes donor representatives, decided to extend payments for another two years, he says.

Consultations between the Transitional Government and its international partners on the proposed governance and economic management assistance programme (GEMAP) have met protracted delays, but the programme "would help Liberia to meet the requirements for the lifting of the sanctions imposed on Liberia by the Security Council," he says.

"I would therefore strongly urge the Transitional Government to work closely with the international partners with a view to reaching an early agreement on the programme so that it could be presented for the consideration of the Security Council and put into operation with the minimum delay," Mr. Annan says.

Meanwhile, the UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) is providing a secure environment in which the National Elections Commission can plan and run free, fair, transparent and peaceful democratic elections, he says. UNMIL civil affairs officers have received civic and voter education training and are complementing the efforts of the UNMIL Electoral Division staff in the counties.

The UNMIL Gender Unit and the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) are working with the Ministry of Gender and Development and with civil society to increase the participation of women in the electoral process, he adds.