"In their greatest hour of need, the world failed the people of Rwanda.".

During an eight-nation tour of east and central Africa-Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya, the United Republic of Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Eritrea - the Secretary-General in May frontally addressed the United Nations role during the 1994 Rwanda genocide and the crisis in Burundi.

In his address to the Rwandan Parliament on 7 May, Secretary-General Kofi Annan, referring to the 1994 genocide, said, "we will not deny that, in their greatest hour of need, the world failed the people of Rwanda. The international community and the United Nations could not muster the political will to confront it. The world must deeply repent this failure." He described the genocide as "a paroxysm of horror from which there is only the longest and most difficult of escapes. It was a horror that came from within, that consumed and devastated entire communities and families".

While pledging United Nations support for Rwanda in its search for peace and progress, he acknowledged that only the Rwandese people could put an end to the violence. The rerum to peace, coexistence and reconciliation in Rwanda must begin with justice after the genocide. Justice, however, must also serve a larger purpose - the purpose of closing wounds, of coexistence and of trust between the Hutu and Tutsi communities of Rwanda. Restoring that mast was perhaps the greatest challenge facing the Rwandan nation today. No one imagines that it could be restored easily or quickly.

In an address to the Burundian Parliament, the Secretary-General commended the two main initiatives that have been taken to resolve the crisis in that country: the regional initiative, undertaken within the framework of the Arusha process with the mediation of His Excellency Julius Nyerere, and the internal initiative developed by Burundi's main political parties. At the same time, however, he noted that the crisis "is first and foremost a Burundian crisis. It is therefore up to Burundians to get along with each other and lay the groundwork for a lasting solution that affords recognition to all ... in terms of democratic legitimacy and respect for human rights", Mr. Annan said.

Following the appointment of a new Head of State in Nigeria after the sudden death of President Sani Abacha, Secretary-General Kofi Annan made an unscheduled three-day visit to the country as part of his continued efforts to facilitate the process of Nigeria's return to civilian rule. In talks with General Abdulsalam Abubakar, Mr. Annan discussed the critical transition process to democratic rule in Nigeria, as well as the regional security concerns, particularly the situations in Sierra Leone and Liberia.

In a press conference in Abuja on 2 July, the Secretary-General said the United Nations would be prepared to help find solutions to Nigeria's problems. "We may be able to help in the area of elections", he said. "On the economic and social fronts, the United Nations agencies are very actively engaged on the ground, but I would hope that as Nigeria moves forward towards civilian rule and return to democracy, all the multilateral funding institutions, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and other major donors will engage Nigeria constructively and help her develop her economy and bring prosperity to the people of Nigeria."

Mr. Annan extended his contacts to a number of actors in Nigeria's political scene. He had talks with Nigeria's Foreign Minister, Chief Tom Ikimi; the Chairman of the National Election Commission, Dagogo Jack; and the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission, Justice Nwokedi. He had a telephone conversation with Olusegun Obasanjo, the former Head of State, and met with Christina Anyanwu, winner of this years's UNESCO World Press Freedom Prize, both of whom had been recently released from prison. He also met with Chief Moshood Abiola, the former presidential candidate, who had been imprisoned by the authorities.

On the last day of his visit, the Secretary-General met with the traditional rulers' consultative council, whose members had travelled from all parts of Nigeria to see him. He also met with members of several Nigerian citizens' groups, representing business, labour, media and women, who presented their views on the transition process in the country.

RELATED ARTICLE: Secretary-General establishes Panel of Eminent Persons to Visit Algeria

At the invitation of the Government of Algeria, the Secretary-General on 2 July established a panel of eminent persons to visit that country to gather information and present a report on the situation there. The personalities appointed to the Panel were: Mario Soares, former President of Portugal (Chairman); I. K. Gujral, former Prime Minister of India; Abdel Karim Kabariti, former Prime Minister of Jordan; Donald McHenry, former United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations; Simone Veil, former Secretary of State of France; and Amos Wako, Attorney-General of Kenya.

The Panel visited Algeria from 22 July to 4 August and met with the President of Algeria, as well as with the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Ministers of Justice, the Interior, and Finance, political leaders and representatives of civil society, including human rights organizations, the media and religious institutions. The Panel heard a range of views and submissions. An important feature of the Panel's work was the visit to the site of massacres, and meeting with survivors and relatives and neighbours of victims of massacres, as well as with the families of persons who had disappeared and with prisoners in the Serkadji prison in Algiers.