United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa)
14 January 2009
press release
Kinshasa — Alan Doss, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the DRC, his deputy Special Representative Ross Mountain and MONUC Force Commander General Babacar Gaye paid a visit to North Kivu, from 12-13 January 2008.
This morning, Mr. Doss and General Gaye met 20 children recently released from armed groups, who were about to joining their families in their homes with the support of MONUC.
Speaking on Radio Okapi, Alan Doss launched a new urgent appeal to the armed groups to release all the children in their ranks.
"The recruitment and the use of children by armed forces and groups is a war crime, and a crime against humanity. This practice literally destroys the future of this country," he recalled with force, while ensuring that the United Nations would continue to do all to eradicate this plague.
Meeting between MONUC executives and the Norwegian Defence Minister
On the afternoon of 12 January 2008, Mr. Doss, accompanied by Mr. Mountain and the General Gaye, met Norwegian Defence Minister Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen, who was on a three day visit to the DRC.
"This time my country could not contribute to the reinforcement of MONUC troops," explained the Minister, before indicating that her visit "aims to identify fields of action in which Norway could reinforce its support to MONUC, with other institutions and programmes, such as with the Congolese Government, in particular in the field of national security sector reform."
The delegation then visited displaced persons camps in Kibati, where Mr. Doss noted that the number of displaced persons in the camps had appreciably decreased in the last few weeks.
The security of displaced persons remains however an important concern, and Alan Doss, with the humanitarian actors present, discussed ways in which MONUC could contribute to reinforce security.
Mr. Doss and General Gaye arrived in Kinshasa today, as Mr. Mountain continues his work visit to South Kivu.
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