§ Lord Aveburyasked Her Majesty's Government: How many troops the United Nations Organisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) has on the ground in Ituri, Democratic Republic of Congo; whether the local commanders consider that they have sufficient forces to complete the processes of disarmament, demobilization, repatriation, reintegration or resettlement of foreign armed forces; and whether they will seek a resolution in the Security Council extending the mandate of MONUC so that the same processes can be implemented for the domestic militias. [HL89]
§ Baroness Symons of Vernham DeanThere are 6,948 MONUC personnel in north and south Kivu and Ituri. These numbers are considered adequate by the local commanders for the tasks authorised in Security Council Resolution in 1493, which include the processes of disarmament, demobilisation, repatriation and reintegration of foreign armed forces. UNSCR 1493 also authorised MONUC to assist the Government of National Unity and Transition in disarming and demobilising those Congolese combatants who may 67WA voluntarily decide to enter the DDR process within the framework of the Multi-Country Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme, pending the establishment of a national DDR programme in co-ordination with the United Nations Development Programme and other agencies concerned.