Abstract
On July 10, 1999, the allied heads of states of the DRC, Zimbabwe, Angola, and Namibia signed the Lusaka accord, as did their Ugandan and Rwandan counterparts. But the rebel leaders still held out from doing so. The signatories and the UN Security Council urged the rebel groups to resolve their differences and sign the agreement as soon as possible.1 President Chiluba launched a new round of diplomatic efforts, knowing full well that the ceasefire was unlikely to hold if the rebels themselves failed to agree to it. The rebels went as far as threatening to press on with their military campaign to oust Kabila.2 Acceding to Chiluba’s pressure, RCD-Goma, RCD Kisangani, and MLC factions met in Tanzania on July 22, 1999, at the invitation of the ex-Tanzanian president Julius Nyerere. In the period leading up to the meeting, the RCD-Goma vice president, Moise Nyarugabo, warned that just because the rebel groups had agreed to attend these talks did not necessarily mean that they would sign. In addition, Nyarugabo repeated that the RCD-Goma faction refused to acknowledge Ernest Wamba dia Wamba’s signature in the name of the RCD but noted that “if he forms a separate group, then he can sign for that group.”3
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Notes
UN-DPI, “Security Council Members Welcome Signing of Accord on DRC; Urge Rebels to Follow Suit,” July 12, 1999.
Reuters, “African Ministers to Meet on Congo Ceasefire,” July 19, 1999.
IRIN, “Special Report: South Africa’s New Drive to Achieve Progress in the DRC,” July 30, 1999.
PANA, “DR Congo Peace Process Gets Fresh Impetus,” August 3, 1999.
AFP, “Main Rebel Group to Sign Accord on Tuesday,” August 27, 1999.
IRIN, “DRC: UN Welcomes Rebel Signing of Peace Accord,” September 1, 1999.
AFP, “DR Congo Ceasefire Committees Meet at Long Last,” September 3, 1999.
Reuters, “Factions Sees Peace Deal Holding,” September 7, 1999.
European Union, “DRC: Delays in the Implementation of the Lusaka Agreement,” September 22, 1999.
EU, “Declaration by the Presidency on Behalf of the European Union on the DRC,” October 11, 1999.
AFP, “France Pledges $700,000 to DR Congo Peace Commission,” October 19, 1999.
AFP, “Five Million Dollars Raised for DRC Peace Process,” October 31, 1999.
PANA, “Britain Donates £50,000 for Military Commission,” November 10, 1999.
European Union, “The European Union Will Support the Implementation of the Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement and the Peace Process in the DRC by €1.2 Million,” November 15, 1999.
IRIN-SA, “Africa: Holbrooke Outlines New U.S. Policy,” December 7. 1999.
Government of Sweden, “Swedish Support to the Joint Military Commission in the DRC,” November 26, 1999.
AFP, “New Timetable for DR Congo Peace Process Sought,” January 13, 2000.
IRIN-CEA, “Uganda: IRIN Interview with Minister Amama Mbabazi,” March 17, 2000.
AFP, “Signatories to the DR Congo Truce Agree on Total Ceasefire,” April 8, 1999.
PANA, “Joint Military Commission on DRC Meets in Lusaka,” June 2, 2000.
Xinhua, “Political Committee for Congo Ceasefire Adopts Mechanisms,” June 9, 2000.
IRIN-SA, “Zimbabwe: Troops to Withdraw for DRC,” July 14, 1999.
IRIN-SA, “DRC/Africa: Nigerian, Ghana Troops for DRC,” July 14, 1999.
AFP, “UN Security Council Finalizes DRC Draft Resolution,” July 23, 1999.
AFP, “Security Council Approves Deployment of UN Personnel in DRC,” August 6, 1999.
AFP, “DR Congo Belligerents Pledged to Keep UN Personnel Safe,” October 12, 1999.
IRIN-SA, “South Africa: Conference on Peacekeeping Opens,” October 21, 1999.
AFP, “France Seeks Security Guarantees for UN Observers in DR Congo,” November 8, 1999.
UN secretary general, “Special Envoy for DRC Peace Process to Travel to Kinshasa, November 7–10,” November 8, 1999.
AFP, “Kinshasa, UN Reach Accord on Deployment of Observers,” November 10, 1999.
Reuters, “UN Begins Delayed Congo Mission,” November 11, 1999.
UN-DPI, “UN Begins Deployment of Remaining Military Liaison Officers to DRC,” November 24, 1999.
AFP, “Four UN Observers Arrive in DR Congo HQ Town,” November 26, 1999.
UN-DPI, “Mandate, Composition Approved for UN Mission in DRC,” November 30, 1999.
IRIN-SA, “Southern Africa: Southern African Leaders Concerned at Slow Pace in DRC,” December 13, 1999.
UN Security Council, “Security Council Briefed on DRC by Under-Secretary for Peacekeeping,” December 16, 1999.
UN Security Council, “Security Council Briefed on DRC by Under-Secretary for Peacekeeping,” December 16, 1999.
Although based on the assumption that the parties to the conflict would respect the Lusaka peace accord, the proposal recognized the realities on the ground. See AFP, “UN’s Annan Recommends a 5,000-Member Protection Force for the DRC,” January 19, 2000.
UN-DPI, “Security Council Holds Top-Level Meeting on DRC,” January 24, 2000.
UN-SC, “Seven African Heads of State Address Security Council in Day-Long Meeting on DRC,” January 24, 2000.
Kabila had been suspecting the South African government of supporting the rebels. See IRIN-SA, “South Africa-DRC: IRIN Focus on the Peacekeeping Debate,” January 26, 2000.
On February 3, 2000, the UN Security Council was slated to begin working on a resolution to authorize a UN force to monitor ceasefire in the DRC. See Reuters, “UN Council Begins to Move on Troops for Congo,” January 26, 2000, and
Reuters, “UN Council Moves Closer to Sending Force to Congo,” February 3, 2000.
UN-DPI, “Security Council Members Back Kofi Annan’s Proposed Force for DRC,” February 4, 2000.
USAID, “Holbrooke Intends to Keep Emphasis on Africa,” February 4, 2000.
Christian Science Monitor, “U.S. Role in Africa’s Big War,” February 22, 2000.
Reuters, “African Leaders Open Talks on New Congo Peace Deal,” February 23, 2000.
The force of 5,500 Blue Helmets planned by the UN was only the second phase of the program. According to Amama Mbabazi, the first one was the deployment of ninety liaison officers, 500 observers, and four battalions to protect them. See IRIN, “Ouganda: Entretien avec le Ministre Amama Mbabazi,” Mar, 7, 2000, and IRIN-CEA, Weekly Roundup: February 26–March 3, 2000.
On April 7, 2000, the new Rwandan president, Paul Kagame, expressed doubt that the 5,500 Blue Helmets and observers were sufficient, but he acknowledged that it was a step in the right direction. See IRIN Update No. 899 for the Great Lakes, April 7, 2000, and UN-DPI, “UN Team in DRC Visits Potential Bases for Peacekeeping,” March 17, 2000.
AFP, “OAU Chief Calls for Rapid UN Troops of Deployment in DRC,” April 11, 2000.
AFP, “African Leaders Appeal for Rapid UN Aid after Congo Ceasefire,” April 9, 2000.
USAID, “Holbrooke Urges Congress to Support Lusaka Peace Plan,” April 12, 2000.
UN-DPI, “Annan’s Latest Report on DR Congo Shows Progress but Warns of Pitfalls,” April 20, 2000.
UN-DPI, “Press Briefing by Special Representative for DRC,” April 25, 2000.
AFP, “UN and Kinshasa Sign Agreement on Peacekeeping Force,” May 4, 2000.
USAI, “Holbrooke Holds Press Conference in Kigali,” May 8, 2000.
On June 29, 2000, the South African government approved $15 million toward the deployment of about 160 technical support staff to the UN mission in the DRC. The South African military staff awaited a deployment date from the UN. See AFP, “South Africa Government Approves $15 million for DR Congo Mission,” June 29, 2000,
and UN-DPI, “Security Council Welcomes Rwanda/Uganda Ceasefire of DR of Congo,” June 8, 2000.
UN secretary general, “S.G. Appoints General Abdulsalami Abubakar of Nigeria as Special Envoy to the DRC,” August 18, 2000.
AFP, “Kinshasa Says It Is Ready to Receive UN Peacekeepers,” September 3, 2000.
While these diplomatic advances and the Security Council’s October 13 mandate extension until December 15, 2000 were positive developments, many UN officials were nonetheless growing frustrated. Some member states accused the UN of having a double standard for peacekeeping operations. See UN General Assembly, “Security Council Extended Role, ‘Double Standard’ among Issues Raised as Fourth Committee Concludes Discussion of Peacekeeping Operations,” November 10, 2000.
On the African side, it was reported on November 30, 2000, in the meeting of the JPC that the belligerents had reaffirmed their pledges to withdraw their forces by at least 15 kilometers and that military chiefs would formally sign this new agreement in the Zimbabwean capital on December 5. See AFP, “DR of Congo Agrees to Discuss UN Observers Mission Says Mbeki,” November 27, 2000.
UN-DPI, “Annan Recommends Six-Month Extension of UN Mission in DR of Congo,” December 7, 2000.
UN secretary general, “S.G. in Statement on UN Mission in DRC Urges Respect for Terms of Lusaka Agreement,” December 14, 2000.
The first functional meeting of the JMC took place in Kampala on October 11 and 12, 1999. On October 18, the meeting of the Political Committee had also (with the JMC) been delayed due to inadequate support from other countries and international organizations. See AFP, “UN Blamed for Slow Pace of DR Congo Peace,” October 18, 1999.
IRIN-SA, “Southern Africa: Southern African Leaders Concerned at Slow Pace in DRC,” December 13, 1999.
USIA, “Masire Rates US-UN Cooperation Vital to African Peace,” January 28, 2000.
AFP, “DR Congo Mediator Ketumile Masire Due to Meet Rebels Wednesday,” May 15, 2000.
PANA, “Cotonou to Host DRC Preparatory Peace Meeting,” May 30, 2000.
USIA, “Statement on Democratic Republic of Congo,” June 4, 2000.
USIA, “UN Security Council to Hold Major Session on DRC,” January 21, 2000.
IRIN, Interview with the UN secretary general, Kofi Annan, February 1, 2000.
Reuters, “African Leaders Urge UN to Deploy Congo Force,” April 20, 2000.
U.S. Department of State, “UN Security Council Mission Leaving for DRC,” May 1, 2000.
U.S. Department of State, “Holbrooke on the DRC,” June 15, 2000.
U.S. Department of State, “State Department Spokesman on the Lusaka Summit,” August 16, 2000.
IRIN-SA, “Zimbabwe-DRC: Pressure Mounts for Troops to Leave,” August 14, 2000.
AFP, “Lusaka Ceasefire Accord Stalls in DR Congo Peace Process,” August 29, 2000.
UN-DPI, “Little Progress Made in DRC Peace Process, Says Annan,” September 22, 2000.
UN-DPI, “Peace in DRC Depends on Will of Congolese People, Says UN Envoy,” December 21, 2000.
AFP, “Meeting on DR Congo Conflict Postponed,” December 21, 2000.
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© 2011 François Ngolet
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Ngolet, F. (2011). The Lusaka Ceasefire Agreement. In: Crisis in the Congo. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230116252_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230116252_5
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