Security Council approves UN mission

A decision by the UN Security Council to establish a UN Mission in Angola is expected to bolster humanitarian efforts in the country. With just a fraction of the funds needed to assist close to 3 million people in need, aid agencies have moved rapidly to expand emergency operations to cover the critical needs of the most vulnerable populations, following the 4 April ceasefire. By April only 13 percent of the US $233 million requested in the 2002 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal had been received, increasing to about 34 percent by July said the UN. The UN Security Council on Thursday approved the establishment of the United Nations Mission in Angola (UNMA), a follow-on to the United Nations Office in Angola (UNOA) for a period of six months until 15 February 2003. One of its key tasks will be to chair the Joint Commission charged with implementing the November 1994 Lusaka peace agreement between the government and UNITA. The UNMA is to be headed by a special representative appointed by Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General, and will assist the Angolan government in the "protection and promotion of human rights and in the building of institutions to consolidate peace and enhance the rule of law". The Council also approved the deployment of a Child Protection Adviser. Children constitute over half of Angola's four million internally displaced people, with many suffering from severe malnutrition, malaria, measles, diarrhoea, respiratory ailments or other preventable diseases. Sixteen UN human rights officers in key provinces will work closely with humanitarian workers already on the ground to assist in the promotion and protection of human rights, the Council statement said. Annan has announced plans to visit Angola for three days from 25 August to help map out the UN's expanded role. Meanwhile, the Security Council has decided to extend, for a further 90 days, its suspension of travel restrictions on senior UNITA officials. However, the Council decided to maintain the embargo against UNITA that prevents it from buying weapons and fuel, selling diamonds and having representation abroad.