Kabila welcomes accord, guarantees security to former rebels

The president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, welcomed on Wednesday the power-sharing accord signed in Pretoria, South Africa, which will lead to a government of national unity.

"The president of the republic welcomed the accord and hopes that it will lead to peace, unity and the integrity of the country," his spokesman, Mulegwa Zihindula, said. "His hope is that this accord will lead to the formation of a transitional government that will organise free, transparent and democratic elections within 24 months, to let the Congolese people choose their leaders freely," Mulewa told IRIN.

He added that Kabila had "given his guarantees to everyone [the rebel groups] that he was going to assure everyone's security".

"We are waiting for the second stage in which a constitution will come into being, and the third, which will be the implementation of the accord to the letter, and which will comprise the reunification of the armies, the security of the leaders, the reorganisation of national defence, and other questions which have been left open," Jean-Pierre Bemba, the head of the Mouvement de liberation du Congo (MLC), told IRIN.

On Tuesday, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan welcomed the signing of the accord, voicing hope that it would be endorsed "without delay". In a statement released by his spokesman, he said it was "a significant step towards lasting peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Great Lakes region as a whole". He also praised the Congolese parties for their "courageous decision to find a peaceful solution to end the suffering of the Congolese people and embark upon a path to reconciliation, reconstruction and development".

Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and Foreign Minister Louis Michel said: "All Congolese actors must now shoulder their responsibilities and engage in good faith in this decisive phase with the sole objective of building a democratic, prosperous and stable future for the Congo."

The UN Mission in the DRC, MONUC, said the deal had been made possible by commitment on the part of the signatories, who had managed to overcome their "old reflexes of distrust" and their differences. MONUC also noted the "tireless efforts", vision and determination of South African President Thabo Mbeki in the negotiating process.

Meanwhile, however, the Union des patriotes congolais, which since August has been in control of Bunia, capital of the Ituri District, Province Orientale, is not a party to this agreement. [For more information see IRIN web special on Ituri]

The make-up of the transitional parliament will be as follows:

Senate (120 seats):
22 - Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie
22 - Mouvement de liberation du Congo
22 - Political opposition
22 - Government
22 - Civil society
4 - RCD-Mouvement de liberation
4 - Mayi-Mayi militias
2 - RCD-Nationale

National Assembly (500 seats):
94 - Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie
94 - Mouvement de liberation du Congo
94 - Political opposition
94 - Government
94 - Civil society
15 - RCD-Mouvement de liberation
10 - Mayi-Mayi militias
5 - RCD-Nationale

Ministers (36):
7 - Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie
7 - Mouvement de liberation du Congo
7 - Political opposition
7 - Government
2 - Civil society
2 - RCD-Mouvement de liberation
2 - Mayi-Mayi militias
2 - RCD-Nationale

Deputy Ministers (25):
4 - Rassemblement congolais pour la democratie (RCD-Goma)
4 - Mouvement de liberation du Congo (MLC)
4 - Political opposition
4 - Government
3 - Civil society
2 - RCD-Mouvement de liberation (RCD-ML)
2 - Mayi-Mayi militias
2 - RCD-Nationale (RCD-N)