Javier SOLANA and Louis MICHEL Launch EUPOL and Reiterate EU Support for Transition in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Javier SOLANA and Louis MICHEL Launch EUPOL and Reiterate EU Support for Transition in the Democratic Republic of Congo

IP/05/517 Brussels, 30 April 2005 Javier SOLANA and Louis MICHEL launch EUPOL and reiterate EU support for transition in the Democratic Republic of Congo Joint press release of the EU High Representative for the CFSP and the European Commission Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), and Louis MICHEL, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, have participated today, Saturday 30 April, in the inaugural ceremony of the European police mission EUPOL in Kinshasa and expressed to Congolese authorities the EU's support for an inclusive transition process. Javier Solana and Louis Michel met with the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Joseph Kabila, with Vice-Presidents Azarias Ruberwa, Jean-Pierre Bemba and Arthur Zahidi N'goma, as well as with the Chairmen of the Houses of Parliament and with Fr. Malu Malu, president of the Independent Electoral Commission. The European Union is providing by far the most important political and financial support to this process and would like to maintain this commitment until the end. It calls on the espace présidentiel, the transitional institutions and their representatives to continue without respite their engagement in view of the implementation of a transition agenda and of the strengthening of good governance. Free elections, based on a Constitution that reflects an equilibrium between democratic institutions, are the foremost objective of these efforts. The success of transition will be contingent upon the re-establishment of the essential functions of a democratic state based on the rule of law and, in this regard, security constitutes a key precondition. This is particularly urgent in the eastern part of DCR. Hence the EU's strong engagement in reforming the security sector in three areas: re-organising the police forces; demobilising and re-assigning armed groups; and incorporating and reforming the army. The European police mission EUPOL will support the creation of an Integrated Police Unit (IPU), financed by the European Commission through the European Development Fund (EDF) as well as by the CFSP budget and by EU Member States. the European Commission intends to finance, to the amount of €9 million, the strategic plan for ensuring police security services to the electoral process. EUPOL is the first civil mission for crisis management in Africa and is in line with the ESDP framework. Its implementation will be strengthened by the imminent launching of EUSEC, an advisory and assistance mission for security reform. The EU fully supports the activities of MONUC (United Nations Mission in DRC), especially through an annual contribution of US$400 million. MONUC plays a key role, in particular in the disarmament process. .

Copy Link

Recommended publications

Democratic Republic of the Congo Page 1 of 37
2008 Human Rights Report: Democratic Republic of the Congo Page 1 of 37 2008 Human Rights Report: Democratic Republic of the Congo BUREAU OF DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND LABOR 2008 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices February 25, 2009 The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a nominally centralized republic with a population of approximately 60 million. The president and the lower house of parliament (National Assembly) are popularly elected; the members of the upper house (the Senate) are chosen by provincial assemblies. Multiparty presidential and National Assembly elections in 2006 were judged to be credible, despite some irregularities, while indirect elections for senators in 2007 were marred by allegations of vote buying. Internal conflict in the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu, driven to a large degree by the illegal exploitation of natural resources, as well as a separate conflict in the western province of Bas-Congo, had an extremely negative effect on security and human rights during the year. The Goma peace accords signed in January by the government and more than 20 armed groups from the eastern provinces of North and South Kivu provided for a cease-fire and charted a path toward sustainable peace in the region. Progress was uneven, with relative peace in South Kivu and the continued participation of the South Kivu militias in the disengagement process. In North Kivu, what little progress was made in implementing the accords during the first half of the year unraveled with the renewed fighting that began in August, perpetuating lawlessness in many areas of the east.
[Show full text]
The Political Role of the Ethnic Factor Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Political Role of the Ethnic Factor around Elections in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Hubert Kabungulu Ngoy-Kangoy Abstract This paper analyses the role of the ethnic factor in political choices in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and its impact on democratisa- tion and the implementation of the practice of good governance. This is done by focusing especially on the presidential and legislative elections of 1960 and 2006. The Congolese electorate is known for its ambiguous and paradoxical behaviour. At all times, ethnicity seems to play a determining role in the * Hubert Kabungulu Ngoy-Kangoy is a research fellow at the Centre for Management of Peace, Defence and Security at the University of Kinshasa, where he is a Ph.D. candidate in Conflict Resolution. The key areas of his research are good governance, human security and conflict prevention and resolution in the SADC and Great Lakes regions. He has written a number of articles and publications, including La transition démocratique au Zaïre (1995), L’insécurité à Kinshasa (2004), a joint work, The Many Faces of Human Security (2005), Parties and Political Transition in the Democratic Republic of Congo (2006), originally in French. He has been a researcher-consultant at the United Nations Information Centre in Kinshasa, the Centre for Defence Studies at the University of Zimbabwe, the Institute of Security Studies, Pretoria, the Electoral Institute of Southern Africa, the Southern African Institute of International Affairs and the Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria. The article was translated from French by Dr Marcellin Vidjennagni Zounmenou. 219 Hubert Kabungulu Ngoy-Kangoy choice of leaders and so the politicians, entrusted with leadership, keep on exploiting the same ethnicity for money.
[Show full text]
From Resource War to ‘Violent Peace’ Transition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from Resource War to ‘Violent Peace’
paper 50 From Resource War to ‘Violent Peace’ Transition in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) From Resource War to ‘Violent Peace’ Transition in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by Björn Aust and Willem Jaspers Published by ©BICC, Bonn 2006 Bonn International Center for Conversion Director: Peter J. Croll An der Elisabethkirche 25 D-53113 Bonn Germany Phone: +49-228-911960 Fax: +49-228-241215 E-mail: [email protected] Internet: www.bicc.de Cover Photo: Willem Jaspers From Resource War to ‘Violent Peace’ Table of contents Summary 4 List of Acronyms 6 Introduction 8 War and war economy in the DRC (1998–2002) 10 Post-war economy and transition in the DRC 12 Aim and structure of the paper 14 1. The Congolese peace process 16 1.1 Power shifts and developments leading to the peace agreement 17 Prologue: Africa’s ‘First World War’ and its war economy 18 Power shifts and the spoils of (formal) peace 24 1.2 Political transition: Structural challenges and spoiler problems 29 Humanitarian Situation and International Assistance 30 ‘Spoiler problems’ and political stalemate in the TNG 34 Systemic Corruption and its Impact on Transition 40 1.3 ‘Violent peace’ and security-related liabilities to transition 56 MONUC and its contribution to peace in the DRC 57 Security-related developments in different parts of the DRC since 2002 60 1.4 Fragility of security sector reform 70 Power struggles between institutions and parallel command structures 76 2. A Tale of two cities: Goma and Bukavu as case studies of the transition in North and South Kivu
[Show full text]
“We Will Crush You”
“We Will Crush You” The Restriction of Political Space in the Democratic Republic of Congo Copyright © 2008 Human Rights Watch All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America ISBN: 1-56432-405-2 Cover design by Rafael Jimenez Human Rights Watch 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor New York, NY 10118-3299 USA Tel: +1 212 290 4700, Fax: +1 212 736 1300 [email protected] Poststraße 4-5 10178 Berlin, Germany Tel: +49 30 2593 06-10, Fax: +49 30 2593 0629 [email protected] Avenue des Gaulois, 7 1040 Brussels, Belgium Tel: + 32 (2) 732 2009, Fax: + 32 (2) 732 0471 [email protected] 64-66 Rue de Lausanne 1202 Geneva, Switzerland Tel: +41 22 738 0481, Fax: +41 22 738 1791 [email protected] 2-12 Pentonville Road, 2nd Floor London N1 9HF, UK Tel: +44 20 7713 1995, Fax: +44 20 7713 1800 [email protected] 27 Rue de Lisbonne 75008 Paris, France Tel: +33 (1)43 59 55 35, Fax: +33 (1) 43 59 55 22 [email protected] 1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500 Washington, DC 20009 USA Tel: +1 202 612 4321, Fax: +1 202 612 4333 [email protected] Web Site Address: http://www.hrw.org November 2008 1-56432-405-2 “We Will Crush You” The Restriction of Political Space in the Democratic Republic of Congo Map of the Democratic Republic of Congo ................................................................ 1 I. Summary ............................................................................................................... 2 Methodology ....................................................................................................... 7 II. Recommendations ............................................................................................... 9 To the Congolese Government ............................................................................. 9 To the Congolese National Assembly and Senate .............................................. 10 To International Donors ..................................................................................... 10 To MONUC and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) 10 III.
[Show full text]
Who Belongs Where? Conflict, Displacement, Land and Identity in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo
Who Belongs Where? Conflict, Displacement, Land and Identity in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo CITIZENSHIP AND DISPLACEMENT IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION WORKING PAPER NO. 3 MARCH 2010 International Refugee Social Science Rights Initiative Research Council C ITIZENSHIP AND D ISPLACEMENT IN THE G REAT L AKES W ORKING P APER NO. 3 Background to the Paper This paper is the result of a co-ordinated effort between staff from the International Refugee Rights Initiative (IRRI) and the Social Science Research Council (SSRC). The field research was carried out by Joseph Okumu and Kibukila Ben Bonome, and the paper was drafted by Lucy Hovil of IRRI. Deirdre Clancy and Olivia Bueno of IRRI, Josh DeWind of SSRC, and Bronwen Manby of AfriMAP, the Africa Governance Monitoring and Advocacy Project of the Open Society Institute, reviewed and edited the material. The field research team would like to express its gratitude to all those who participated in the study, in particular those displaced by the conflict. Citizenship and Displacement in the Great Lakes Region Working Paper Series The paper is the third in a series of working papers that form part of a collaborative project between the International Refugee Rights Initiative, the Social Science Research Council, and civil society and academic partners in the Great Lakes region. The project seeks to gain a deeper understanding of the linkages between conflicts over citizenship and belonging in the Great Lakes region, and forced displacement. It employs social science research under a human rights framework in order to illuminate how identity affects the experience of the displaced before, during, and after their displacement.
[Show full text]
In the Balance: External Troop Support and Rebel Fragmentation in the Second Congo War
In the balance: External troop support and rebel fragmentation in the Second Congo War Henning Tamm School of International Relations University of St Andrews [email protected] Forthcoming in Journal of Strategic Studies AUTHOR ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT – NOT THE FINAL VERSION. PLEASE DO NOT CITE OR CIRCULATE WITHOUT THE AUTHOR’S PERMISSION. 24 November 2019 Abstract The two main rebel groups in the Second Congo War (1998–2003) evolved in remarkably different ways. While the MLC maintained organisational cohesion throughout the war, the RCD split into two rival groups within less than a year. The larger of these rivals then remained cohesive, whereas the smaller group experienced further fragmentation. This article draws on interviews with key protagonists to show that these cross-group differences resulted from different patterns of state sponsorship. Frag- mentation occurred when the intra-group distribution of power between a rebel leader and an internal rival hung in the balance because external troops supported both sides. Keywords External support; rebel groups; fragmentation; cohesion; Democratic Republic of Congo Introduction The Second Congo War, often called Africa’s deadliest conflict,1 featured two major rebel groups. The first group, the Rassemblement congolais pour la démocratie (RCD, Congolese Rally for Democracy), was created in August 1998 under Rwanda’s supervision and initially also received Ugandan support. The second group, the Mouvement de libération du Congo (MLC, Movement for the Liberation of Congo), emerged in November 1998 under Uganda’s sole supervision. By the time the inauguration of a transitional power-sharing government for- mally ended the conflict in July 2003, the RCD had split into six groups, whereas the MLC remained a cohesive organisation (Figure 1).
[Show full text]
Continuing Instability in the Kivus: Testing the DRC Transition to the Limit
INSTITUTE FOR Continuing Instability in the Kivus: Testing the DRC transition to the limit Stephanie Wolters SECURITY STUDIES ISS Paper 94 • October 2004 Price: R10.00 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY the Parti pour la Reconstruction et le Développement— PPRD); the Rassemblement Congolais pour la This paper is based on fieldwork conducted during a Démocratie-Kisangani-Mouvement de Libération (RCD- recent trip to the towns of Goma and Bukavu in the K/ML); the Rassemblement Congolais pour la eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It aims Démocratie-National (RCD-N); and the Mai Mai militia. to take a close look at the political and military situation in the provinces of North and South Kivu following the Currently the senior ranks of each military zone are unrest in Bukavu in late May and early June this year. In filled by an assortment of officers from the various this context it will discuss the links between the military groups, who were appointed following discussions and campaign led by the former Rassemblement Congolais compromises between the parties. In the 8th Military pour la Démocratie (RCD) general, Laurent Nkunda, Region, which comprises the whole of North Kivu and other civilian and military leaders in the region; the province, the commander of the military region is regional and national dynamics which General Rwabisiri Obedi, a former RCD- fostered General Nkunda’s campaign; G officer. His second- and third-in- and the situation that followed his brief The senior ranks of command are senior officers from the occupation of the town of Bukavu. each military zone PPRD and the Mai Mai components, who took up their posts at the same time as This paper will also address the impact were filled by an General Obedi.
[Show full text]
Democratic Republic of Congo (Ex-Zaire) Date: 24 November 2009
Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE Research Response Number: COD35771 Country: Democratic Republic of Congo (ex-Zaire) Date: 24 November 2009 Keywords: Congo (Democratic Republic - ex-Zaire) – Movement for the Liberation of Congo – Jean-Pierre Bemba – Events of March 2007 – Kinshasa Penitentiary and Re-education Centre (CPRK) This response was prepared by the Research & Information Services Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. This research response may not, under any circumstance, be cited in a decision or any other document. Anyone wishing to use this information may only cite the primary source material contained herein. Questions 1. Please provide brief information and distances between Kinshasa, Matadi, Lukala, Uige (Congo) and Luanda (Angola). 2. Please provide any information concerning incidents of violence and deaths of opposition supporters or other anti-government groups in March 2007? 3. Please provide information on the Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) and current political situation. Also provide any relevant information on the treatment of members 2007 and subsequently. 4. Is there any information concerning the existence of the Penitentiary and Re-education Centre of Kinshasa? Is this located near a river where crocodiles are found? 5. Angolan passport and exit process RESPONSE 1. Please provide brief information and distances between Kinshasa, Matadi, Lukala, Uige (Congo) and Luanda (Angola). Kinshasa is the capital city of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the third largest country in Africa, with a population of approximately 8 million people (US Department of State 2009, Background Note: Democratic Republic of the Congo, September, http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2823.htm - Accessed 23 November 2009 – Attachment 1).
[Show full text]
The Evolution of an Armed Movement in Eastern Congo Rift Valley Institute | Usalama Project
RIFT VALLEY INSTITUTE | USALAMA PROJECT UNDERSTANDING CONGOLESE ARMED GROUPS FROM CNDP TO M23 THE EVOLUTION OF AN ARMED MOVEMENT IN EASTERN CONGO rift valley institute | usalama project From CNDP to M23 The evolution of an armed movement in eastern Congo jason stearns Published in 2012 by the Rift Valley Institute 1 St Luke’s Mews, London W11 1Df, United Kingdom. PO Box 30710 GPO, 0100 Nairobi, Kenya. tHe usalama project The Rift Valley Institute’s Usalama Project documents armed groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The project is supported by Humanity United and Open Square and undertaken in collaboration with the Catholic University of Bukavu. tHe rift VALLEY institute (RVI) The Rift Valley Institute (www.riftvalley.net) works in Eastern and Central Africa to bring local knowledge to bear on social, political and economic development. tHe AUTHor Jason Stearns, author of Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa, was formerly the Coordinator of the UN Group of Experts on the DRC. He is Director of the RVI Usalama Project. RVI executive Director: John Ryle RVI programme Director: Christopher Kidner RVI usalama project Director: Jason Stearns RVI usalama Deputy project Director: Willy Mikenye RVI great lakes project officer: Michel Thill RVI report eDitor: Fergus Nicoll report Design: Lindsay Nash maps: Jillian Luff printing: Intype Libra Ltd., 3 /4 Elm Grove Industrial Estate, London sW19 4He isBn 978-1-907431-05-0 cover: M23 soldiers on patrol near Mabenga, North Kivu (2012). Photograph by Phil Moore. rigHts: Copyright © The Rift Valley Institute 2012 Cover image © Phil Moore 2012 Text and maps published under Creative Commons license Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/nc-nd/3.0.
[Show full text]
In Search of Peace: an Autopsy of the Political Dimensions of Violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo
IN SEARCH OF PEACE: AN AUTOPSY OF THE POLITICAL DIMENSIONS OF VIOLENCE IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO By AARON ZACHARIAH HALE A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA 2009 1 © 2009 Aaron Zachariah Hale 2 To all the Congolese who helped me understand life’s difficult challenges, and to Fredline M’Cormack-Hale for your support and patience during this endeavor 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I was initially skeptical about attending The University of Florida (UF) in 2002 for a number of reasons, but attending UF has been one of the most memorable times of my life. I have been so fortunate to be given the opportunity to study African Politics in the Department of Political Science in a cozy little town like Gainesville. For students interested in Africa, UF’s Center for African Studies (CAS) has been such a fantastic resource and meeting place for all things African. Dr. Leonardo Villalón took over the management of CAS the same year and has led and expanded the CAS to reach beyond its traditional suit of Eastern and Southern African studies to now encompass much of the sub-region of West Africa. The CAS has grown leaps and bounds in recent years with recent faculty hires from many African and European countries to right here in the United States. In addition to a strong and committed body of faculty, I have seen in my stay of seven years the population of graduate and undergraduate students with an interest in Africa only swell, which bodes well for the upcoming generation of new Africanists.
[Show full text]
Democratic Republic of the Congo
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION REPORT DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO APRIL 2006 RDS-IND COUNTRY OF ORIGIN INFORMATION SERVICE Contents Paragraphs 1. SCOPE OF THE DOCUMENT ............................................................... 1.01 2. GEOGRAPHY.................................................................................... 2.01 3. ECONOMY........................................................................................ 3.01 4. HISTORY ......................................................................................... 4.01 History to 1997 ............................................................................... 4.01 The Laurent Kabila regime 1997 .................................................... 4.02 The Joseph Kabila regime 2001 .................................................... 4.04 Events of 2005 ............................................................................... 4.05 5. STATE STRUCTURES ........................................................................ 5.01 THE CONSTITUTION........................................................................... 5.01 Citizenship and nationality ......................................................... 5.06 POLITICAL SYSTEM.......................................................................... 5.11 Government ............................................................................... 5.15 Elections .................................................................................... 5.24 Political parties..........................................................................
[Show full text]
MEMORANDUM from APARECO to Thethe USTRUTH CONGRESS, ABOUT the to Warthe UNITED in MINEMBWE NATIONS
MEMORANDUM FROM APARECO THE TRUTH ABOUT THE WAR IN MINEMBWE to the US CONGRESS, to the UNITED NATIONS, and to the AFRICAN UNION Expansionist aim of Paul Kagame on the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Immigration fraud of the Rwandan populations in the United States of America using false Congolese identities Paris, August 23, 2019 By Honore NGBANDA NZAMBO KO ATUMBA 1 National President of APARECO THE TRUTH ABOUT THE WAR IN MINEMBWE Memorandum from APARECO to the US CONGRESS, to the UNITED NATIONS, and to the AFRICAN UNION THE TRUTH ABOUT THE WAR IN MINEMBWE Expansionist aim of Paul Kagame on the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Immigration fraud of the Rwandan populations in the United States of America using false Congolese identities Paris, August 23, 2019 By Honore NGBANDA NZAMBO KO ATUMBA National President of APARECO Alliance des Patriotes pour la Refondation du Congo APARECO: 12 rue Freycinet 92600 ASNIERES – FRANCE Website : www.info-apareco.com WhatsApp: 00 33 6 66 52 02 71 Facebook: Honoré Ngbanda2 Nzambo Ko Atumba E-mail: [email protected] THE TRUTH ABOUT THE WAR IN MINEMBWE CONTENTS CONTENTS........................................................... …………………… 3 INTRODUCTION. ............................................................................... 4 I. THE ORIGIN OF THE CONFLICTS IN THE GREAT KIVU, IN GENERAL, AND IN MINEMBWE, IN PARTICULAR ............ ……7 II. FRAUDULENT IMMIGRATION OF PEOPLE FROM RWANDA TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA UNDER FALSE CONGOLESE IDENTITY ............................................................................. ….10 III. THE CAMPAIGN OF LIES ABOUT THE MINEMBWE CONFLICT BEING LED BY PAUL KAGAME AND RWANDA .................... 13 A.THE CONGOLESE NATIONALITY AND THE IMPOSTURE OF THE NAME « BANYAMULENGE » ..........................................................................
[Show full text]