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DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: South Africa reaffirms backing for talks
South African Foreign Minister Alfred Nzo yesterday (Monday) reaffirmed his country's backing for Zambia's efforts at seeking a negotiated solution to the crisis in the DRC. In a press statement, Nzo said: "We remain committed to the need for all-inclusive negotiations as the only recipe for sustainable peace in that country. Our involvement here must not be seen as a series of high-profile events, but rather as part of a drawn-out process." His remarks followed five days of talks in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, which ended at the weekend. Officials told IRIN the talks involving representatives of the foreign and defence ministries of Angola, Zambia, Mauritius, Zimbabwe, Namibia, DRC, Rwanda, Uganda, as well as the UN, the OAU and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), had ended inconclusively. But the talks, aimed at establishing the modalities of a ceasefire" would resume "within weeks" and would be followed, as planned, by a summit of regional leaders, the officials said.
Chad claims it controls north
Chadian forces claim they control most of the northern half of Equateur province. A Chadian military official told AFP at the weekend that the towns of Lisala and Bumba were in their hands, and the northern part of the province as far as the Congo river. The official claimed that 121 Ugandan and Rwandans had been taken prisoner and would be "soon" handed over to ICRC. Independent analysts estimate Chad has some 2,000 troops in northern DRC. Meanwhile, Uganda's Minister of Defence Stephen Kavuma has denied Chad is holding Ugandan POWs. He said the Ugandan army was not operating in the northern sector, state radio reported yesterday
RWANDA: Government reshuffle
Rwanda's minister of foreign affairs Anastase Gasana has been replaced in a government reshuffle, state radio reported yesterday. Ambassador to Egypt Amri Sued takes over at the ministry. Gasana becomes the minister in the president's office in charge of institutional relations. A genocide survivor, Jean de Dieu Mucyo, takes over the justice ministry following the abrupt departure for the United States of the former minister, Faustin Nteziryayo. Three Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) ministers out of seven have been axed, and five new RPF figures brought in. The government comprises a 21-member cabinet and five secretaries of state. According to the private Rwanda News Agency, public criticism over government mismanagement and corruption has grown. The reshuffle is the third since 1994.
World Bank makes US $75-million loan
The World Bank has approved a US $75-million loan for Rwanda to boost spending on social services, news agencies report. "We are doing this on the understanding that [the DRC] war is coming to an end," senior World Bank economist Chukwuma Obidegwu said yesterday. The loan, dubbed an "economy recovery credit", is to be deposited directly into the central bank. Obidegwu said the World Bank had the government's word the credit would not be spent on the DRC conflict. According to Reuters, donor funds account for around 45 percent of Rwanda's 1999 budget.
Government donates to genocide survivors' fund
The Rwandan government is to provide 4.3 billion Rwandan francs - equivalent to 5 percent of the national budget - to support a fund set up to help genocide survivors. The donation complements funding from local business and civic organisations, the private Rwanda News Agency reported. The Fund spent close to 4 billion Rwandan francs last year targetting health, education and shelter needs of genocide survivors.
Genocide suspects released
Thirty-five genocide suspects were released for lack of evidence on Friday by a court in Byumba, northeast Rwanda. Among them was Immaculee Nyirabizeyimana, speaker of parliament during the interim government. Her release was condemned by the genocide survivors group, Ibuka. The organisation said it would provide "evidence" to the court prosecutor that Nyirabizeyimana was allegedly a senior "genocidaire", the Rwanda News Agency reported.
Meanwhile, the trial of Interahamwe vice-president George Rutaganda resumed in Arusha yesterday. He pleaded not guilty last year in his first appearance before the UN tribunal to eight counts of genocide and genocide-related charges.