WRITTEN QUESTION E-0772/01

by Juan Naranjo Escobar (PPE-DE) to the Council

(15 March 2001)

Subject: Peace in the Great Lakes region

The war which is afflicting the Great Lakes region, affecting seven countries, has claimed thousands of victims, with sanguinary clashes between different ethnic groups, tribes and other communities. The region has been torn apart by these conflicts for years now. However, recent political developments in the Democratic Republic of Congo since the assassination of Laurent Kabila suggest that the dictator's death has led to a considerable relaxation of tension in that country.

In the light of these freshly aroused expectations in the RDC following the change of regime, does the Council consider that the prospects for peace in the region have now improved? Will the EU provide resources to enable the disarmament plan to succeed and facilitate the reintegration of the rebels? How will the plan be implemented? Does the Council believe it would be desirable to offer demobilisation incentives as a core element of the peace process? When does the EU intend to convene a Conference for the countries of Central Africa with a view to creating the conditions for closer regional cooperation and constructing new models for cooperation between the developed world and the countries of the region?

Joint answer to Written Questions E-0691/01 and E-0772/01

(13 July 2001)

The Council has noted with satisfaction the solemn commitments made by the parties in Lusaka on 15 February and in New York on 21 and 22 February, to relaunch the implementation of the Lusaka cease-fire agreement, which constitutes the consensual basis for peace in the DRC and the region.

The Council has welcomed the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1341 approving the updated concept of operations for MONUC and it has underlined the crucial importance of a rapid deployment of the MONUC to verify and supervise the disengagement of troops, in the perspective of a complete, definitive and unconditional withdrawal of foreign troops from the DRC with the ultimate objective of restoring sovereignty and territorial integrity of the DRC.

The Council has confirmed the European Union's continued political and material support to the MONUC and to its contributors.

The Council has underlined the importance of disarming armed groups that operate in and from the territory of the DRC. It has welcomed the provisions in UN Security Council Resolution 1341, urging the parties to the conflict to co-operate with the MONUC in the elaboration of a plan for disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration of all armed forces referred to in Annex A, Chapter 9.1 of the Lusaka Agreement. The European Union has expressed its willingness to work with the international community, in particular the United Nations specialised agencies, on the modalities of such a programme and it has mandated the European Union's Special Representative to engage in a reflection on how to pursue this question. Until these reflections have been presented to and discussed by the Council, it is too early to discuss the implementation and financing of such a programme.

The Council has reiterated the importance it attaches to an early start to the national dialogue, as foreseen in the Lusaka Agreement and recalled the support that the European Union and its Member States give to the process of national dialogue as well as its readiness to continue to support its institutional framework.

The Council has expressed its deep concern over the continuing serious human rights violations in the DRC and reminded the governments concerned of their responsibility and accountability for upholding the respect for human rights by their own armed forces as well as by the armed forces under their de facto control.

In the Council Joint Action appointing the European Union's Special Representative, Mr Ajello, reference is indeed made to an international conference on peace, stability, democracy and development in the African Great Lakes Region to be held at an appropriate time, but the Council has not pronounced itself on this question yet.

The Commission has recently indicated its wish to gradually resume development co-operation through a progressive resumption of aid, cut off since 1992, and by freeing credits from the 7th and 8th European Development Fund (EDF) namely 120 million. These funds should act to accompany the peace process and will be granted in relation to the progress accomplished by the Congolese authorities in the peace process and in the transition towards democracy.