At its weekly press conference of 30 January 2008, MONUC said that the preliminary work for the installation of the follow-up bodies of the Goma conference, and the implementation of its acts of engagement, as well as its resolutions and recommendations are now in progress.

On Monday 28 January 2008, the ad-hoc committee charged with establishing the mixed technical commission on peace and security started its work in Goma.

This committee, which is chaired by the Congolese authorities represented by General Didier Etumba and the international community, represented by MONUC (General Singh and John Armstrong, the first private secretary MONUC head Mr. Alan Doss), held two meetings, on Monday 28 and Tuesday 29 January, 2008, with the representatives of the signatories of the act of engagement for North Kivu.

During these last meetings, the Congolese authorities presented the projections and attributions of the future commission and its sub-commission for North Kivu. In the next days, the ad hoc committee must meet the signatories of the act of engagement for South Kivu, for a similar presentation.

The mixed technical commission should be legally instituted soon, once the signatories of the acts of engagement have approved the projections and attributions of its two subsidiary bodies.

MONUC is pleased with the effective presence in the two meetings of all the signatories of the act of engagement of the Goma conference, and once again invites them to the strict respect of their engagements.

MONUC wishes for a fast setting-up of the mixed technical commission, and of its two subsidiary bodies, so that the mechanism of concrete follow-up can be in place and start to function as a priority, with regard to the installation of the monitoring system of the respect of the cease-fire agreement.