UN strengthens, extends MONUC mandate

The UN Security Council on Friday, 15 June, extended the mandate of the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC) until 15 June 2002, and strengthened its mandate to include a civilian police force component. The extension is, however, subject to a progress review every four months. The Council unanimously adopted Resolution 1355, in which it approved UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s proposals on a revised concept of operations, including the creation of a civilian police component and a new civilian/military planning section to coordinate disarmament, demobilisation, rehabilitation and reintegration (DDRR) operations. The new concept of operations also included reinforcing MONUC’s presence in the strategic northeastern town of Kisangani (Orientale Province), and allowing it to assist - when requested and on a voluntary basis - in the early disarmament and reintegration of armed groups. The resolution authorised the strengthening of the mission’s capacity to support current and future deployment in the field, and requested Kofi Annan to send human rights personnel to areas where MONUC was deployed. The Council also called on Annan to ensure the deployment of a sufficient number of child-protection advisers to be able to provide a systematic analysis of the parties’ adherence to their obligations to children under humanitarian and human rights law. [for further details, go to: http://www.un.org/News/dh/latest/page2.html#32]