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Minister Dlamini Zuma Leads a South
African Delegation to Burundi, today 01 June 2004
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
is expected to arrive in Bujumbura, Burundi, today,
Tuesday 1 June 2004, to attend the "Ceremony of
the Transfer of Forces for Peacekeeping in Burundi".
The Ceremony will be attended by among others, the President
of Burundi, Mr Domitien.
The ceremony will mark the official transfer of the
Peacekeeping mandate in Burundi from the African Union
to the United Nations.
The African Union mandated the deployment of the African
Mission in Burundi (AMIB) on 2 April 2003 for an initial
period of one year. The mandate was extended for an
additional two months, to allow the United Nations the
opportunity to arrange for the establishment of a UN
Peace Mission.
The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) unanimously
adopted resolution 1545 (2004) on 21 May 2004 to create
a United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) as from
1 June 2004.
Ms Carolyn McAskie (Canada), the UN Deputy Emergency
Relief Co-ordinator has been appointed as Secretary
General Kofi Annan's Special Representative and chief
of mission. Major-General D Mgwebi (SANDF), the commander
of AMIB has been identified as the force commander for
the United Nations Peacekeeping operation in Burundi
(ONUB). It should be noted that General D Mgwebi is
the first (ever) South African to be appointed as a
force commander of a United Nations Peace Mission.
ONUB will operate under a Chapter VII mandate and troops
will be deployed for a period of six months as from
1 June 2004, "with the intention to renew the mandate
for further periods". The mandate will be multi-dimensional
in line with the recommendations of the Secretary General.
ONUB is tasked with a variety of issues, including disarmament,
demobilisation and reintegration (DDR), electoral assistance
(which should take place before 31 October 2004), facilitation
of the voluntary return of refugees and internally displaced
persons, etc.
- ONUB will have a mandated troop composition of 5
650, including 200 observers, 125 staff officers and
120 civilian police. Countries that have indicated
their willingness to send troops to ONUM are South
Africa, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Pakistan and Nepal.
Issued by Ronnie Mamoepa at 082-990-4853
Department of Foreign Affairs
P/Bag X152
Pretoria
0001
01 June 2004.
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