NEWSDESK

Nairobi/Brussels, 9 January 2007: The international community must renew its strong political engagement after Congo’s successful elections if the momentum of a still incomplete peace process is to be maintained.

Congo: Staying Engaged after the Elections,* the latest briefing from the International Crisis Group, concentrates on several crucial decisions that must be made in the coming weeks to maintain the progress represented by the country’s first multi-choice elections in more than 40 years. It warns that the international community must remain engaged and help President Joseph Kabila cope with serious security and political challenges.

“Congo now has a democratically legitimated government – a very important development – but the peace process is not complete”, cautions Jason Stearns, Crisis Group’s Central Africa Senior Analyst. “The situation in the East remains volatile, there is little state authority in the West, and relations between the government and the opposition are hostile”.

Militias still control large areas in the East, where violence has flared in recent weeks, and the national army remains ill-disciplined and often abusive. Creating an apolitical army out of the various armed groups is key to preventing further unrest, but donors must overcome reluctance to tackle army reform.

There are risks in the political process. Kabila’s coalition shows signs of repressing the parliamentary opposition, the courts are far from independent, and members of the transitional government who lost elections may be tempted to return to violence.

When the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUC) is renewed in February, the Security Council should redefine its political role to acknowledge that Congo now has democratically legitimated institutions, but the mission needs to be able to continue to assist in conflict prevention and management, as well as supporting state institutions, monitoring human rights abuses and enforcing the arms embargo. MONUC should also retain its 17,000 troop strength at least through 2007 so it can continue to protect civilians and deal with illegal armed groups, both in support of the army and on its own in emergencies.

The International Committee for Supporting the Transition (CIAT), the Kinshasa-based donors group, will be disbanded when the new government is inaugurated this month. Although Kabila now wants to deal only bilaterally with aid givers, donors need to create a smaller successor body not only for coordination but also to speak with one voice on significant conflict prevention and conflict management issues.

“With the elections, another milestone was reached in restoring regional stability, but there are still daunting challenges”, says Central Africa Project Director Caty Clement. “The international community must remain strongly and collectively engaged”.