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UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

DRC: MONUC convenes first meeting on future national elections

KINSHASA, 19 August 2003 (IRIN) - William Swing, special representative of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and head of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), convened on Tuesday in the capital, Kinshasa, the first meeting among UN agencies and international donors to discuss national elections scheduled for the end of the two-year transitional period that began in June.

"We must evaluate the status of programmes and the potential resources available as we begin a period of discussions with government officials responsible for the electoral process, and with the future independent electoral commission to be named by the National Assembly," Swing said at the opening of what he termed an "exploratory meeting".

Under UN Resolution 1493 of 28 July 2003, the UN mission, known as MONUC, together with other UN agencies, donors and NGOs was "encourag[ed] to provide assistance, during the transition period, for the reform of the security forces, the re-establishment of a state based on the rule of law and the preparation and holding of elections throughout the territory of the DRC...".

Swing said elections were the most important of these activities.

According to a power-sharing agreement reached in December 2002 in Pretoria, South Africa, by all parties to the inter-Congolese dialogue, the newly-installed transition government is to hold nationwide elections at all levels within two years.

The next consultative meeting among MONUC, other UN agencies and international donors is scheduled for 26 August.

Theme(s): (IRIN) Conflict, (IRIN) Governance

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