Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 22 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 5

Written Answers. - Overseas Development Aid.

Jim O'Keeffe

Question:

136 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the position taken by the Government at the UN Security Council meeting considering the report of the UN panel of experts that the Presidents of Uganda and Rwanda are plundering and looting gold, diamonds and other precious minerals and resources from war torn Congo and using development assistance in helping their war efforts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15174/01]

Minister for Foreign Affairs (Mr. Cowen)

The United Nations Security Council held an open meeting on 3 May to consider the report of the panel of experts on the illegal exploitation of the natural resources and other forms of wealth of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, DRC and the link between the exploitation of resources and the continuation of the war. Representatives of the Governments of the DRC, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi were present at the meeting.

Following the meeting, the Security Council decided to extend the mandate of the panel of experts by a further three months to enable it to update the report, assess progress made, undertake further analysis and follow up on the activities of countries and actors whose activities had not been addressed in depth in the report.

In our national statement, the Government supported the extension of the panel's mandate and expressed the hope that it would provide a fuller picture of the complexity and extent to which the exploitation of resources in the DRC contributes to sustaining the conflict in the region.

Ireland noted the serious nature of the allegations against the parties to the conflict and made clear the Government's expectation that the relevant national authorities should thoroughly investigate the allegations and co-operate with the panel of experts in its future work. We welcomed Uganda's decision to establish an independent judicial commission of inquiry to investigate the allegations against it, and also welcomed Burundi's decision to investigate the allegations and to continue to co-operate with the panel. At the same time, we noted that some parties had expressed concerns about the report which needed to be addressed during the panel's extended mandate.

Ireland also stressed the need to view the panel of experts report as part of the wider efforts of the international community to end the DRC conflict. In the coming months, we would be expecting progress by the parties on the implementation of the three core aspects of the Lusaka Agreement: withdrawal of all foreign troops from the DRC, the disarmament of armed groups, and the holding of the national dialogue to provide for a new political dispensation in the DRC.

Following the Security Council meeting, the Minister of State at my Department, Ms Liz O'Donnell met with Prime Minister Nsibambi of Uganda on 14 May and stressed the importance attached by the Government to Uganda's response to the allegations contained in the panel of experts report.