UN seeks to consolidate peace

The United Nations strategy for the remainder of the year in the Republic of Congo is to promote peace by helping the population get back on its feet, according to the most senior UN official based in that country. UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for the Republic of Congo William Paton told IRIN on Tuesday that UN agencies in country were focusing on four particular areas in pursuit of this objective: reintegrating returnees, youth and militia into society; reestablishing social services, such as health and education; restarting agricultural and income-generating activities; and promoting the rule of law. Since the ceasefire came into effect in January 2000 it had rarely been violated, humanitarian access to much of the southern part of the country had improved and considerable progress had been made in disarmament and demobilisation, Paton said. “We’re in a pretty positive situation right now,” Paton said. “630,000 of 780,000 people displaced by the war have returned home because of the peace and tens of thousands of refugees have arrived from the DRC fleeing the war there.” He added that he admired the resourcefulness of the local population, including one formerly displaced woman who managed to set up a local restaurant within five weeks of returning to Brazzaville after being driven out of her home for a year during the war. However, he said that there were still many important questions which needed to be resolved. “There is a lack of transparency as to how the peace process will work and how democracy and the rule of law will be fully restored.” Paton also said he regretted that donor response to the UN’s appeals for the Republic of Congo was so poor. “There are relatively few international NGOs in the Republic of Congo which reflects some international unwillingness to support the peace,” he said. “It seems alarming that there is much more international assistance provided in neighbouring countries at war than there is for this promising chance for peace.”