09 July 2003

U.N. Security Council Mission Recommends Help for Liberia, July 9, 2003

(Secretary general appoints Jacques Klein special representative)

By Judy Aita
Washington File Staff Writer

United Nations -- The U.N. Security Council mission to West Africa is recommending an "international stabilization force" for Liberia and has suggested that deployment plans should be drawn up quickly.

The 15-nation mission presented its report during a formal Security Council meeting July 9, saying that the council "should urgently consider authorizing an international stabilization force on the basis of current ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] plans, taking account of the ECOWAS appeal for troops and other support from outside the region."

"While any decision on such a force will inevitably be linked with progress in the political negotiations," the mission report said, "plans for deployment should be drawn up rapidly, since delay will risk renewed breakdowns of the cease-fire."

The mission also recommended that countries consider providing financial or logistical support to ECOWAS and its member states to facilitate the deployment of a stabilization force. In addition, the donor community should respond "urgently to the serious and immediate humanitarian needs of the Liberian people," it said.

The mission had also recommended that U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan appoint a senior representative in Liberia to coordinate peacekeeping, peace-building, development, and humanitarian programs.

On July 9 the secretary general notified the council that he had appointed Jacques Klein, an American who represented the United Nations in the Balkans for several years, as his special representative for Liberia to lead and coordinate the activities of the United Nations. He also has ordered "an expeditious return of all U.N. agencies" providing humanitarian assistance to Liberia in anticipation of the early deployment of a multinational force and improvement in security, a U.N. spokeswoman said.

Klein is expected at U.N. headquarters in New York the week of July 14 for briefings prior to his departure for Liberia, the U.N. said.

The Security Council mission returned from West Africa July 5. Mission Chairmen Ambassador Jeremy Greenstock of the United Kingdom and Ambassador Adolfo Aguilar Zinser of Mexico briefed the council on the trip.

Greenstock told the council that despite the considerable resolve of the West African governments and ECOWAS, they are constrained by limited resources.

"West Africa cannot be asked to sort out its problems without international funds and stronger links to the global community," Greenstock said.

Greenstock told journalists after the meeting that council members have not begun to draft a resolution on Liberia or hold in-depth consultations on the situation.

In its report, the mission was "putting people on notice that we think things could move quite quickly," the ambassador said. "Liberia is in a mess. It needs help and that help is on the horizon visibly. Let's hope it gets to the right point at the right time."

The mission began in Guinea-Bissau on June 27 and 28, meeting with top government officials including President Kumba Yala and Prime Minister Mario Antonio Avelino Reis Pires, the armed forces chief of staff, leaders of civil society and political parties and representatives of the diplomatic community.

"The overall impression gained by the mission is that Guinea-Bissau is gripped by a deep social, economic, administrative and political crisis," the mission said, and is "at risk of falling back into conflict."

The U.N. support office in Guinea-Bissau is increasingly obliged to play a conflict prevention role, and there are concerns that mounting tensions and public discontent could result in a civil war, it said.

The mission recommended that the Security Council closely monitor the electoral process and the implementation of other steps outlined in the June 19 presidential statement. It also recommended that donors urgently consider providing financial and technical assistance so election plans can proceed and elections held as scheduled.

The mission was in also in Nigeria June 28 and 29, Ghana June 29 and 30; and Cote d'Ivoire June 30 to July 2. Because of the uncertain security situation in Liberia, the mission did not make its scheduled stop in that country but traveled instead to Accra, where the parties to the Liberian peace talks led by ECOWAS were gathered.

The mission also visited Guinea July 2 and 3; and Sierra Leone July 3 and 4.

The mission "noted with satisfaction the progress made in consolidating the rehabilitation" of Sierra Leone, the report said, but "the members ... were, nevertheless, made fully aware of the distance Sierra Leone still has to travel to self-sufficiency."

The mission recommended that the Sierra Leone government intensify efforts to develop its armed forces and police to ensure security when U.N. peacekeepers leave. However, the mission also said that the Security Council should recognize the links between peace in Liberia and consolidating stability in Sierra Leone when deciding how best to withdraw the U.N. forces.

Mission members included Ambassador Richard Williamson of the United States, Ambassador Alexander Konuzin of Russia, Ambassador Michel Duclos of France, Ambassador Ismael Abraao Gaspar Martins of Angola, and Ambassador Martin Chungong Ayafor of Cameroon. In Guinea Bissau five ambassadors representing the Economic and Social Council joined the group.