12 April 2000
Security Council Commends New Congo Agreement
(FR) (Soderberg: First hopeful news in some time) (680) By Judy Aita Washington File United Nations Correspondent United Nations -- The Security Council April 11 welcomed the decision of the Lusaka signatories to adopt a plan for a cease-fire and the disengagement and redeployment of forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). After a closed-door council meeting, U.S. Ambassador Nancy Soderberg told journalists that the briefing on events in the region by U.N. officials was "the first hopeful briefing on the Congo in some time." Soderberg said that council members considered the news "very positive and encouraging." "The Security Council will now discuss how best to try to implement the agreement as we move forward so Lusaka can be fulfilled," Soderberg said. "We realize the importance of sustaining conditions to deploy the peacekeeping mission and underscored the need for member states to provide the necessary resources." In February the Security Council authorized the deployment of 5,537 troops for the second phase of the U.N. Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC). The phase II operation is to supervise the cease-fire and work out arrangements for disengagement of the troops in preparation for a third stage that would supervise the actual withdrawal and demobilization, and increase DRC border security. Soderberg pointed out that "the U.N. has since moved forward very forcefully" to secure commitments from countries to provide troops and equipment but it can only move as quickly as member states agree to provide the equipment and specialized units. "We're pushing hard to get countries to agree to provide the troops, and particularly the specialized units, of which they are very much in need right now," the ambassador said. "We're hopeful that things are moving forward and that they will be able to deploy in the coming months." Undersecretary-General Bernard Miyet told the council that the latest agreement to disengage forces eliminates only one of many obstacles impeding the rapid deployment of MONUC. Even if the parties actually follow through on their commitments, MONUC will need to develop full-fledged disengagement and withdrawal plans for all units along the confrontation lines. In addition, the very poor infrastructure, scarcity of usable roads, and difficult logistical situation in the DRC will make MONUC deployment very slow, the undersecretary-general said. MONUC will have to rely on air transportation for deployment and daily sustainment of the peacekeepers in the countryside. The U.N. is also having difficulty persuading troop-contributing countries to make forces available, Miyet reported. Only Pakistan and Senegal have made available two of the four battalions needed for the operations. MONUC also needs specialized military units to prepare and maintain airstrips in four remote localities where the battalions will be positioned. The U.N. needs air traffic control, load/unload capacity, fire and rescue resources, fuel handling capability, meteorological support, and water purification. The U.N. peacekeeping office informed the Security Council that deployment will take at least 120 to 150 days, even if the most optimistic assumptions are met. The council is working out the details for a mission of council members to go to the region to discuss with all Lusaka accord signatories concrete ways to ensure their support and their full commitment to early and full implementation of the agreement. The mission is expected to leave by the end of the month. In a statement to the press, council president Robert Fowler of Canada said that "council members stressed the importance of the parties to the Lusaka fulfilling their implementation of the plan and adhering to the cease-fire to which they've agreed" and "expressed their readiness to do everything possible to speed up the pace of MONUC phase 2 deployment to oversee the disengagement plan." "Members expressed concern at the continuing shortcomings in MONUC resources and in donors' response to the United Nations consolidated appeal for the DRC, which is woefully underfunded, and encouraged donors to respond urgently," Fowler also said. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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