Angola
UN: "Angola peace process at very critical stage"

afrol News, 12 September - According to the United Nations' new special envoy to secure the Angolan peace, the situation in the country is now at a "very critical stage." The enormous humanitarian crisis in Angola could even jeopardise the gains made by the current peace.

Just before heading to Angola to start work as the head of the new UN Mission in the country, Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Representative today underscored the urgent security and humanitarian challenges facing the war-ravaged nation.

- The Angola peace process has reached a very critical stage, Ibrahim Gambari told reporters in New York. While noting that the government and the rebel National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) were cooperating in implementing their peace accord, he stressed that "there are many issues and challenges ahead." 

Calling the humanitarian situation "very critical," Mr Gambari noted that more than a third of the internally displaced persons - estimated at about 30 percent of the population - required emergency humanitarian assistance. 

UN agencies were seeking an additional US$ 171 million to provide relief aid to Angola through the end of this year. With the peace, an unprecedented humanitarian crisis had been unveiled in the country. The demobilisation of UNITA rebels and the return of refugees and internally displaced had given further mouths to feed among a population that has not been given peace to produce food.

Mr Gambari said the Angolan government realized that even with the best of efforts on its part, the country would need "substantial assistance from the international community" not only for immediate humanitarian needs, but for long-term economic reconstruction and recovery. 

The UN Secretary-General, at the request of Angolan President Eduardo dos Santos, had agreed to help convene an international donors conference. This would help to gather momentum for the relief work in Angola.

- It is important to organise it properly because there is no point in having an international donors conference for the sake of it, however the UN Envoy pointed out. "You want substantial resources to do what is needed to transform Angola from a war economy to a peacetime economy and to facilitate economic and reconstruction recovery."

Sources: Based on UN sources and afrol archives

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