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