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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

DRC: EU ambassadors approve deployment of multinational force

NAIROBI, 5 June 2003 (IRIN) - European Union ambassadors approved on Wednesday the deployment of EU peace enforcement troops to eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The decision by the ambassadors, meeting in Brussels, was in response to a UN Security Council authorisation for the deployment of a 1,400-strong multinational force to Bunia, the main town in the troubled Ituri District of northeastern DRC.

In a statement, the EU's foreign policy head, Javier Solana, said the formal proposal for deployment would be submitted to the EU Council on Thursday.

"The next step is going to be the approval of the military plan and the formal decision to launch the operation," he said. "I foresee this to take place next week."

Given the scale of the humanitarian crisis in region, he said, the EU-led force would "be deployed very rapidly". Their job would be to stabilise the situation in Bunia until the UN battalion in the town is reinforced. Foremost, Solana said, the EU-led force would try to improve the humanitarian situation in the town. This would entail protecting the displaced persons; contributing to the safety of the civilian population, of UN personnel and of humanitarian agencies; and securing the airport.

Other objectives would be to give an impetus to ongoing EU and UN efforts in support of the overall peace process in the DRC and Great Lakes.

France would provide around half the troops for the force that is to be commanded by Gen Jean-Paul Thonier, AFP reported. It said the first units of the force would leave before the end of the week and set up an advance base at Entebbe airport in neighbouring Uganda. AFP reported that the French would also provide Mirage jet fighters, and an in-flight refueling tanker.

Supporting the French effort, Belgium, the former colonial power in the DRC, would provide tactical air transport using C-130s, the Belgian government said. In addition Belgium would consider ways of providing a medical unit for the force. In conjunction with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Belgian government said, Brussels would see how this medical unit could serve the local population. Belgium is to send a liaison officer to the stabilisation forces' strategic planning and command team to help plan and organise the mission, codenamed "Operation Mamba".

Furthermore, Germany would contribute logistical and medical support for the multinational operation, Comtex, an Internet news service provider, reported on Thursday, quoting deputy government spokesman Hans Langguth.

On the humanitarian front, the Belgium government said €500,000 had been granted to the international NGO Memisa for medicines and medical equipment to be sent to Bunia. Also, an equal amount of money would be granted to UNICEF to supply water for refugees in eastern DRC. Another €100,000 had been granted to UNICEF to deploy equipment and aid to Goma, eastern DRC, "to cope with the urgent situations in that region (including Ituri)", the Belgian government said.

Themes: (IRIN) Conflict

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