Chronicle 10
october 13, 1997 - october 26, 1997
sources: NCN, NRC Handelsblad, Trouw, Africa News Online, Le
Soir, De Standaard.
Social developments / support of international organisations
The minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Bizima Karaha,has been
hospitalized in South Africa on october 14. His situation is
critical, he is in a coma. Before that, he was in New
York where he spoke to the Assemblee of the United Nations.On the
journey back home he felt sick in the airplane. There are rumours
of empoisoning. Within certain Congolese circles Karaha is not
very popular because of his Tutsi origin. At any case it is not
clear if there was an attempt to get rid of him. He is now
recovering.
Kabila has launched a project to integrate ten thousands of youth
in the agricultural development. The youth will be brought to
camps spread over the country. They will receive military and
agricultural training. This is called national civil service
on voluntary base. In the province Katanga a camp will start in
november for the production of maize. Later there will be camps
in Equateur and Haut Congo for the production of rubber, cocoa
and coton.
With support of the UN Children's Fund and the World Health
Organisation the Congolese Department of Health has come to a
program of vaccination of some million children in Kinshasa. The
vaccination is against measles and polio.
Oxfam, an international network of aid organisations, has incited
for a international strategy for Congo, Rwanda and Burundi.The
aim of that strategy has to be: stimulation of the
reconstruction, poverty reduction and human rights.
Oxfam proposes to organise a conference with participation at the
highest level by governments, UN, EU, IMF and Worldbank. Oxfam
has asked the Worldbank to take a fast decision about the debt
relief of Congo.
The Worldbank is not negative about the efforts of the Kabila
government. A Worldbank representative, Luca Barbone, visiting
Kinshasa, said that the first steps of the Congolese
government were encouraging. The Bank has planned a meeting about
the indebtednes in november.
Congo-Brazzaville
On october 15, General Sassou-Nguesso has conquered Brazzaville
on his rival President Lissouba.This fast conquest was possible
thanks the support of a thousand troops of the Angolese president
Dos Santos. They entered the country from Cabinda, the oil rich
Angolan enclave bordering Congo-Brazzaville. Sassou-
Nguesso has named himself the new president. Till now he has been
recognized only by France. In this context the French oil concerns play
certainly a role: Elf Aquitaine exploits oil at the
Congolese coast and Sassou Nguesso has secured the interests of
this company.The prime minister of Congo, Kolelas, and remnants of the army
of Lissouba have crossed the river and fled to
Kinshasa.
Business
It seems that the Western business sector has not retired
investing in Congo in spite of the existing problems between the
UN and the government of Kabila.
The American Bechtel Corporation has helped Kabila
in developing a macro-economic plan.First the company has made
a survey of the Congolese natural resources by means of satellite
imagery. This information is important for every firm that wishes to
invest in the oil or mining exploitation. Bechtel has also made
a contract with the Kabila government for the construction of
roads and for the infrastructure.
The Canadian firm International Panorama Resource has started a
millions-project for the exploitation of copper and cobalt in
Kakanda, a village about 120 km North West of Lubumbashi. It
concerns a joint venture with the national company Gecamines. The
Canadian firm has an active part of 51% and the Congolese of 49%.
In september the American lobbying group Corporate Council on
Africa has paid a visit to Congo. The CCA represent some 170
business companies. The purpose of his visit was following David
Miller, the executive director of CCA,to investigate the
investment climate in Congo.He talked with the minister of
mining, Mututulo Kambale, the governor of the Central Bank,
Masangu Mulongo,and the special economic advisor to Kabila, Umba
Kyamitala. Miller named them very professional and realistic
about the economic challenges: 'They have to climb a mountain in
one day because there is a lot of pressure on them to produce
economic results in a very short time'
The CCA has established a special task force called "Congo
Working Group" to promote the American investments.
The UN commission / visit of Pronk / agreement Kabila and
Richardson
Mr. Jan Pronk, the Dutch minister of Cooperation and Foreign Aid,
visitd Kinshasa on october 19. He talked with president Kabila
over two hours.The principal discussion was about the UN-
investigation of the murder on Hutu refugees. After the meeting
Mr Pronk has given a declaration to the Dutch press, in which he much
criticised the conduct of the UN.Especially he blamed the UN-team
for the fact that it accused beforehand Kabila's army of massacres of Hutu
refugees.Besides he commented the choice of the leader
of the team: Asu Koffi Amega. This Togolese judge was formerly
a good friend of Mobutu and received the award of the Leopard from
the dictator. The minister thinks that the West has to little
understanding for the problems of the Congo government, that
inherited a totally looted country. He stressed that the West has
to help Congo quickly. Pronk has made some procedural suggestions
for the UN-investigation which he will transmit to Bill
Richardson, the American UN-ambassador.
Bill Richardson visited Kabila -in accordance with the Secretary General
of the UN, Kofi Annan - on october 25 to talk about the
UN investigation.On Sunday october 26,Richardson and Kabila
agreed about the following declaration:
1. The government of Congo agrees with the investigation by the
UN-team.
2. The mandate of the team is from march 1, 1993 till december
31, 1997.
3. The mandate concerns every part of the country judged
necessary for the investigation, f.e. the East and Mbandaka.
4. The team will inform the government about its needs.The
government for his part will give the necessary support. The UN
will present if possible the logistic means.
5. The government will guarantee the security
of the team members as much as possible. For this purpose the UN gives to the
government
the complete
list of identities and their curriculum
vitae. The team informs the government regularly about their
whereabouts and conducts.
6. The team will finish on february 28,1998. If extension is necessary,
the UN Secretary General will extend the investigation with
agreement of the government.
7.The report will be limited to a global declaration about the
facts. The team will inform objectively and following the facts
which are found on the location; it will avoid any prejudices
about the actors of alleged abuses. The mandate does not include
recommendations for pursuits or punitive measures.These
are reserved to the Secretary General in
consultation with the Security Council. The team will not
interfere in the internal business of Congo and not contact or
be influenced by persons who had connections with
the ancien regime. The team will respect the sovereignty of Congo
and reserve its integrity. The government will begiven a reasonable
time to revise the report and to bring in its views before
publication and distribution by the Secretary General. The UN-
investigation does not exclude similar or parallel investigation
by others.
see also: chronicle 9, september 29 - october 12, 1997