Minister urges early deployment of UN peacekeepers in DRC

Foreign Minister Augustin Iyamuremye has called for the earliest possible deployment of UN forces in DRC, as all the conflicting sides have now signed the Lusaka peace accord. Addressing the UN General Assembly on Saturday, he accused the Kinshasa government of training, equipping and recruiting ex-FAR and Interahamwe militias who were creating insecurity and promoting the ideology of genocide in the region.

Earlier, in an address to the UN Security Council, Iyamuremye warned the international community that if it did not contribute “energetically” to the struggle against the ideology of genocide, peace and security in the entire region would be endangered. He again stressed that the Lusaka accord be implemented as soon as possible. “As we speak, these forces of evil are still marauding around Rwanda,” he said. “They are ready to recommence their odious work of extermination and destabilisation in the Great Lakes.” The Lusaka accord was the “bearer of peace”, he added. “Its failure will have disastrous implications.”