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DR Congo: UN report notes political progress, urges disarmament of foreign fighters

DR Congo: UN report notes political progress, urges disarmament of foreign fighters

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Welcoming political progress in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a new report to the Security Council that the Government must provide for its troops so they can fully disarm foreign armed groups on the country’s territory.

Welcoming political progress in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan says in a new report to the Security Council that the Government must provide for its troops so they can fully disarm foreign armed groups on the country’s territory.

The Secretary-General is encouraged by the electoral process in the DRC, where over 25 million Congolese citizens have been registered to vote out of up to 28 million estimated voters. The constitutional referendum was held last month with minimal security incidents despite fears of disturbances.

Mr. Annan also welcomes efforts by the Transitional Government to forcibly disarm foreign armed groups. Actions taken by the country’s armed forces (FARDC), aided by the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUC), “have yielded some commendable advances,” he said.

But full disarmament has not been achieved, in part because the FARDC lacks adequate and urgently needed resources, according to the report. Countries of the region – Burundi, Rwanda and Uganda – are joined by the Kinshasa Government in registering concern about the presence of Rwandan and Ugandan fighters on DRC territory. These States have asked the UN to consider ways of addressing the problem.

“I also recognize the need for innovative approaches, but any proposal to provide a peacekeeping mission with a mandate for forcible disarmament would need very careful consideration,” Mr. Annan cautions. An “enforcement option” should be examined only as part of a multifaceted strategy, he says, pledging to provide recommendations to the Council in his next report.

The Secretary-General notes that the main responsibility for disarming and repatriating foreign armed groups lies with the Transitional Government and the FARDC. “However, as long as the Government does not provide adequate support to its troops, they will be tempted to sustain themselves and serious joint MONUC/FARDC military efforts to disarm the foreign armed groups will be unsustainable,” he warns.

The DRC will shortly ask for contributions to address the problem. “I strongly urge donors to seriously consider this request, which, on the part of the Government, must go hand in hand with the restructuring of its military administration,” Mr. Annan writes.

The national disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process also continues to face difficulties. Delays in the payment of demobilization allowances have generated “serious discontent” among ex-combatants, and despite recent efforts to address the backlog, the reintegration of former fighters into society remains slow.

Mr. Annan says one of the areas needing serious attention is strengthening the Government’s sovereignty, including its ability to effectively manage the country’s natural resources and provide basic public services.

“A coordinated and strategic approach by the Congolese authorities and the international community, particularly the international financial institutions and key donors, will be indispensable for the Transitional Government to implement effective and transparent regulatory controls, including those applying to the management of public enterprises; revenues from taxes, customs and natural resources; the payment of salaries to civil servants, including the military and the police; and the allocation of Government contracts,” he says.

While security has generally improved in Ituri, in the eastern region, FARDC elements have been a cause of insecurity in Katanga, particularly in connection with illegal tax collection and disputes with the provincial authorities, Mr. Annan says.

The humanitarian crisis still is severe, Mr. Annan adds. A special post-transition strategy linking humanitarian needs to programmes for post-conflict recovery and stability must be developed well before the elections, which, under the Global and All-Inclusive Agreement, must be held by 30 June.