• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

DRC: UN Security Council team arrives in Kinshasa

NAIROBI, 11 June 2003 (IRIN) - Ambassadors of 15 Security Council member countries arrived in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on Tuesday on a two-day visit to provide impetus toward a national unity government in the war-weary central African country, the UN mission in the country reported.

"The Security Council has come to the Congo to encourage the transition," Jean-Marc de La Sabliere, the French ambassador to the UN who is leading the delegation, said on arrival.

Despite the progress in the peace process in the country, he said, the situation was still fragile. As such, he said it was important to adopt measures of good neighbourliness and end violence.

"It is essential to stop the fighting in the east of the country, especially in Kivu and Ituri, and also human rights violations," he said.

Similarly, he added, the illegal exploitation of Congo's natural resources must end.

He said that the Security Council wanted to help the Congo and had already given strong support to the UN Mission in the country, called MONUC, and authorised the deployment of a multinational force to Bunia, the main town in the troubled Ituri District.

However, he added, "Peace in Congo depends on the Congolese. It is their peace process."

But he also called on neighhbouring countries to exert a positive influence to these efforts.

The Security Council delegation arrived in Pretoria, the South African capital, on Sunday at the start of its African tour that has already taken it to Angola. The delegation is due to meet Congolese President Joseph Kabila before going to Bunia.

Theme(s): (IRIN) Conflict

[ENDS]

The material contained on this Web site comes to you via IRIN, a UN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies. If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post any item on this site, please retain this credit and disclaimer. Quotations or extracts should include attribution to the original sources. All graphics and Images on this site may not be re-produced without the express permission of the original owner. All materials copyright © UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2003