Situation still volatile says UN official

The security situation in Sierra Leone remains “tense and volatile”, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Hedi Annabi, said on Monday in a briefing to the Security Council. On several occasions UN troops have been forced to surrender their weapons to armed groups, and some UNAMSIL convoys were unable to deploy to eastern parts of the country, he reported. Annabi said the mains steps to be taken in Sierra Leone should include the early disarmament, demobilisation, and reintegration of all ex-combatants, the extension of government authority throughout the country, national reconciliation and democratisation, and improvement of the country’s capacity to ensure its own security. Progress in those areas, he said, would require a sustained commitment by all concerned, as well as significant material and financial resources. He said a donor conference to be held in London on 27 March and contributions to the World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund would help cover the present shortfall of some US $20 million needed to support the peace process.