South Africa prepares for a possible peace keeping role in the DRC

South African soldiers have begun training for a possible peacekeeping role in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

South African Defence Minister Patrick Lekota was quoted in news reports as saying that a group of about 230 soldiers were receiving training for a possible call-up by the United Nations. He said that the group was being trained "for various peacekeeping roles."

However, he added: "Only when we are invited to contribute to a
contingent to build the peacekeeping force can we do so. Therefore we can only know how much we are going to participate when a request is presented to us by the UN."

But Lekota said that the South African National Defence Force (SANDF)would remain on standby "should the UN not invite South Africa to join its DRC peacekeeping force."

Meanwhile in a statement sent to IRIN, the SANDF said South Africa had trained eight military officers, one of whom was chosen for involvement in the first stage of the UN mission in the DRC. Colonel Hans Swart left for Kenya on Monday to receive "mission-specific training", after which
it is expected that he will be deployed in Kampala as part of the UN office to be established there.

In addition the SANDF said that about 72 volunteers were selected to receive Military Observer Training which will be completed this Friday. The SANDF said that the group received instruction in communication, investigations, mine awareness, negotiation and mediation, environmental health and first aid. "The objective of the SANDF is to have a pool of
qualified military liaison officers and military observers available before the turn of the century, for possible participation in multinational observer missions."

After the signing of the Lusaka Agreement by the DRC rebel leaders, the UN Secretary-General Kofi Anan recommended to the Security Council that the UN side of the implementation of the agreement be dealt with in three phases. Firstly the deployment of unarmed military liaison officers to the capital cities of the signatories and, if possible to the headquarters of the rebel groups. The second phase would be the deployment of up to 500 military observers inside the DRC and thirdly the deployment of a peacekeeping force.