Thursday, November 20, 2008

The United Nations Security Council has announced that it intends to send up to 3,085 more peacekeeping troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite a commitment from rebel forces to reduce their fighting.

The UN stated that the troops will be deployed immediately, and kept in the Congo for at least the rest of 2008.

Depending on the security situation in the country, the troops may be kept in the country past the end of this year.

The move was made as part of UN Security Council Resolution 1843, and was recommended by the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.

The resolution states that this “temporary increase in personnel aims at enabling MONUC to reinforce its capacity to protect civilians, to reconfigure its structure and forces and to optimize their deployment.”

The resolution also made some other comments in relation to the Congo. The resolution also aimed to work at “reiterating its condemnation of the resurgence of violence in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and demanding all parties to immediately respect a ceasefire.”

The document also welcomed “the appointment of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo by the Secretary-General as his Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region.