Boost for UN force in DRC
2005-10-29 08:39
New York - The UN Security Council on Friday agreed to send an additional 300 troops to boost the United Nations force in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a bid to ensure greater security during the coming electoral campaign.
In a unanimous vote, the 15-member council gave the green light for the temporary deployment of an infantry battalion comprising an air unit and medical support in the south-eastern province of Katanga.
The battalion was slated to be withdrawn by July 1, 2006 at the latest.
The council also extended until September 30, 2006 the mandate of the UN's DRC mission - known as Monuc - which was to expire on Monday.
In his latest report to the Security Council, UN chief Kofi Annan recommended boosting the Monuc force for a year until October 2006 with an additional 2 580 personnel, including two helicopter units.
He said the goal was to enable Monuc to ensure security for election operations in the north and centre of Katanga, particularly in the face of the threat posed by Mayi-Mayi rebels.
More generally, the reinforcements aim to enable Monuc to help DRC authorities organise and hold the first pluralistic and open elections in the former Zaire in 40 years. The polls are scheduled to take place by June 2006.
Reluctant
Annan failed to get all the troops he requested as Washington, which provides roughly 22% of the UN budget and 27% of the budget for peacekeeping operations, was reluctant to accept a beefing-up of Monuc, already the world's biggest UN peacekeeping mission.
Monuc fields a force of 18 630 people, including 15 191 peacekeepers and 324 civilian police.
France's UN envoy Jean-Marc de La Sabliere said the council's decision on Friday signalled strong support for DRC.
"The main problem is the organisation of elections in Congo, which will take place next year. That is very important," he said.
The French envoy is to lead a security council mission to the Great Lakes region of central Africa, including DRC, from November 5 to 10.
The DRC has been undergoing a fragile political transition since 2003, after a five-year regional war. Its eastern and north-eastern provinces, at the Uganda-Rwanda border, remain turbulent.