UN Proposes Drawdown
Of Peacekeepers In DRC
United
Nations has proposed a drawdown of two thousand UN peacekeepers
from its twenty thousand-strong troops in the Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC) at the end of June.
Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon made the proposal in a report
released at the UN headquarters in New York on Monday.
Notable progress
Ban said the Democratic Republic of the Congo has made notable
progress, considering the formidable challenges it has overcome
during the past fifteen years.
Under Ban's proposal the June drawdown will cover eight
provinces, with the remaining troops concentrated in North Kivu,
South Kivu and Orientale provinces.
Recommendations
He, however, recommended that the mission be extended for
another year from its current expiry date of May 31.
Ban also proposed that the Security Council immediately
authorised a drawdown of 2,000 troops by June 30, from
the more stable, mainly western and central provinces.
The drawdown date of June 30 coincides with the 50th
anniversary of the country's independence.
The UN, however, said it disagreed with the Congolese
government's proposed date of August 30, 2011 for the final
withdrawal of the mission.
Challenges
The Secretary-General also highlighted the ‘significant
challenges’ still facing the national government, including
continued fighting with rebels in the Kivu provinces in the east
where, the UN noted, human rights violations were rife.
Others are weak government institutions, the urgent need for
training and reform in the national army and police and
socio-economic hardship in urban areas.
NAN/Williams/Yinka
