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International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based conflict prevention advocacy body, is urging UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to take a personal role in bringing peace between Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo "with the ultimate objective of concluding a non-aggression pact between the two countries, as well as obtaining the complete withdrawal of foreign forces from the DRC.
In a new report, Disarmament in the Congo: Jumpstarting DDRRR to Prevent Further War, the group also urges Annan to emphasise the importance of the disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation, reintegration and resettlement (DDRRR) of armed groups. The group urges him to do so by appointing a new special envoy for DDRRR or by formally including that task in the mandate of his special representative in the DRC.
"In either case the envoy's task would be to negotiate a political agreement on DDRRR, local cease-fires in the Kivus and then oversee DDRRR implementation," the group reported.
It also calls on Annan to coordinate political processes in the region for example by "supporting shuttle diplomacy efforts ahead of the next meeting of the inter-Congolese dialogue in South Africa. In addition, the ICG wants Annan to support a parallel dialogue and inter-community reconciliation effort in the Kivus between the Mayi-Mayi, traditional leaders, civil society leaders and the church.
In its 20-point set of recommendations, the group calls on donor governments, international financial institutions, the World Bank, the Rwandan and Congolese governments, as well as Kinshasa's allies, to increase their efforts to end the DRC crisis. Full report available on www.crisisweb.org
The International Crisis Group (ICG) describes itself as "a private, multinational organisation, with 70 staff members on four continents, working through field-based analysis and high-level advocacy to prevent and contain conflict". Former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari The chairs the ICG board, and its president is former Australian foreign minister, Gareth Evans.
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