Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
South Africa remains committed to assisting the United Nations in the search for permanent peace in the DRC.
While South Africa remains intensely involved in top-level political negotiations it will, at the same time, provide appropriate support to the United Nations. In a practical expression of this commitment, Colonel Hans Swart, the first South African to form part of the United Nations group of military liaison officers that will be deployed to the capitals of the countries party to the DRC Cease-fire Agreement, left for Kenya on 6 Septembe r1999. He will receive mission-specific training until Friday, after which it is expected that he will be deployed in Kampala as part of the United Nations office to be established there.
Following the signing of the Lusaka Agreement by the DRC rebel leaders, the secretary-general of the United Nations has recommended to the Security Council that the UN side of the implementation of the Agreement be dealt with in the following phases: firstly, the deployment of unarmed military liaison officers to the capitals of the signatories and, if the security situation permits, to the rear headquarters of the rebel groups; secondly, the deployment of up to 500 military observers inside the DRC, and thirdly, the deployment of a peacekeeping force. Security guarantees for the UN mission in all areas of deployment is of primary concern to the Secretary-General. The mission will be known as the United Nations Observer Mission to the DRC (MONUC).
The Security Council approved the deployment of up to 90 military liaison officers (MLOs) to the capitals of the parties to the Agreement on 6 August 1999. Only after satisfactory implementation of the first phase may the SECretary-general recommend that the Security Council mandates the second phase. Their tasks are mandated by Security Council Resolution 1258, which are essentially non-military, and they will include the following:
1. To establish contacts and maintain liaison with the Joint Monitoring Commission (JMC) and all parties to the agreement;
2. To assist the JMC and the Parties in developing modalities for the implementation of the Agreement;
3. To provide technical assistance, as requested, to the JMC;
4. To provide information to the secretary-general regarding the situation on the ground, and to assist in refining a concept of operations for a possible further role of the United Nations in the implementation of the Agreement once it is signed by all parties; and
5. To secure from the parties guarantees of cooperation and assurances of security for the possible deployment in-country of military observers.
As can be seen from the responsibilities approved by the Security Council (Resolution 1258), these are essentially non-military tasks.
All member countries of the UN were invited to contribute to the first phase, including 11 African countries. These include Nigeria, Ghana, Tunisia, Botswana, Egypt and Algeria. South Africa initially offered eight officers and depending on the UN's needs, the other seven may be deployed at a later stage.
As part of the implementation of the White Paper on South African Participation in International Peace Missions, the SANDF is already in the process of training military observers for such missions. South Africa has not yet been requested by the UN to indicate the availability of military observers for MONUC, but the intention is to be prepared. A decision as to whether South Africa will contribute to the second phase of MONUC will be taken when we are requested to do so.
Issued by: Department of Foreign Affairs
Pretoria
7 SEPTEMBER 1999