LIBERIA: CITING PROGRESS, TOP UN ENVOY RECOMMENDS MISSION DRAWDOWN

LIBERIA: CITING PROGRESS, TOP UN ENVOY RECOMMENDS MISSION DRAWDOWN
New York, Sep 10 2007 9:00AM
Citing the progress made by the once war-shattered Liberia, a top United Nations envoy today recommended a drawdown of peacekeepers who have overseen the West African country's transition to democracy based on regular security assessments and measurable benchmarks.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Alan Doss told reporters in New York that Liberia has "remained generally stable and calm," pointing out that sanctions have been lifted on diamonds and timber, the State budget has doubled in recent years and major investments are flowing into the country.

At the same time, Liberia faces significant challenges, Mr. Doss, who also heads the UN mission in the country (<"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/unmil/index.html">UNMIL), noted, particularly in the realms of security – both internal and external – and the rule of law.

Within its borders, Liberia sees "periodic flare-ups," while crime in the capital Monrovia is troubling to local citizens, he said. Also, despite economic growth estimated to be 8 per cent this year, the issue of job creation and the re-integration of ex-combatants remains a problem. Meanwhile, UNMIL intends to continue monitoring the situation in neighbouring Guinea, Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire, Mr. Doss said.

In the area of the rule of law, the Special Representative said the criminal justice system is weak, with major delays in processing cases and the corrections facilities needing improvement.

The drawdown plan proposed by Mr. Ban in his latest report takes into account both Liberia's achievements and challenges, Mr. Doss, who addressed the Security Council yesterday, noted. The three-year plan, set to start this October, entails reducing UNMIL's military component by approximately 5,000 and the police component by 500.

The Special Representative underscored the "core benchmarks" – in particular, progress made on bolstering national security institutions such as the army and the police, as well as the creation of a quick-reaction police force – which must be met before each stage of the drawdown occurs.

"At each level, we would look how we're making progress against those benchmarks and if we are and if there is a confirmed agreement, we will move on to the next stage," he said.

The presence of a "robust" UNMIL gives Liberia "the time and the space to push ahead with the reform programme, rebuild the national security institutions and also to ensure that the situation in the broader sub-region remains positive."

Mr. Doss acknowledged that it may seem as if a substantial investment is being made in a small country, "but it really is an investment in the whole of West Africa because Liberia was the centre of instability, the epicentre of instability, that progressively spread out and engulfed must of the sub-region."

UNMIL was established in 2003 to support Liberia's ceasefire and peace process, and currently has over 14,000 troops and nearly 1,200 police officers, along with around 500 international civilian personnel, almost 1,000 local staff and 220 UN Volunteers.
2007-09-07 00:00:00.000

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