Democratic Republic of the Congo

HC Deb 23 May 2002 vol 386 c526W

John Barrett

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on progress towards creating a Government of National Unity in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [58096]

Clare Short

The Inter-Congolese Dialogue reached agreement on a wide range of issues and passed 37 resolutions. But it did not reach agreement on the crucial issue of a transitional leadership. An agreement was signed outside the ICD between President Kabila and the Chairman of the MLC, Jean-Pierre Bemba, which a number of political parties and members of civil society also signed. The RCD-Goma and some political parties including UPDS of Tshishekedi did not. Intensive efforts continue to find an inclusive agreement acceptable to all Congolese elements of the ICD as envisaged by the Lusaka Agreement.