UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that steps toward bringing peace to the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and bolstering lawful government bodies must gather speed.
The secretary-general said in his latest report on the UN peacekeeping mission in the country, known as MONUC, that "the resolution of the crisis in the Kivus and the development of legitimate government institutions are critical benchmarks for the gradual MONUC draw down."
Ban said, "The steady, albeit slow, progress unfolding in this regard is encouraging but should be accelerated."
He said both the National and Provincial Assemblies are operating despite contending with a "serious" deficiency of resources and capacity, and urged national authorities to ensure that provincial and local polls are held in a timely manner.
Regarding the volatile eastern region, the report said the success of the Goma Agreement, signed by the Government and various armed groups, and the Nairobi process, under which DRC and Rwanda have agreed to work together against threats to peace and stability in the region, depends on "the sustained political engagement of all parties."
The secretary-general called on the parties to utilize the Amani Program, the mixed technical commission on peace and security in the Kivus, to build confidence among themselves and to tackle the issue of refugees and internally displaced persons.
"While the ceasefire has largely held, recent clashes are a growing source of concern, along with the continued recruitment by armed groups," the report said.
To boost security, stability and legitimate State authority in the east, Ban advocated the establishment of a professional, capable and accountable national armed forces, known as FARDC.
MONUC comprises over 18,000 uniformed personnel, including more than 16,000 troops, nearly 700 military observers and 1,000 police.
Source:Xinhua
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