Liberian factions end conflict: Council extends mandate of UNOMIL.

The Security Council on 15 September welcomed the signing of a new cease-fire agreement for Liberia, the installation of a Council of State and other steps to peacefully resolve that country's six-year-old civil conflict. In adopting resolution 1014 (1995), it also extended the mandate of the UN Observer Mission in Liberia (UNOMIL) to 31 January 1996.

On 21 August, Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali had welcomed the signing on 19 August of the Abuja Agreement as an "important step on the road to peace in Liberia" and called on all the Liberian parties to fully implement it. Such action would send "the strongest possible signal to the Liberian people and the international community that the parties were ready to seize this important new opportunity for peace", he said.

In resolution 1014, the Council welcomed the Secretary-General's intention to increase immediately by 42 the number of military observers in Liberia to monitor the agreed cease-fire and disengagement of forces.

The Secretary-General was to submit recommendations on a new concept for UNOMIL operations, to address measures to enhance links between the Mission and the Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and aspects concerning disarmament and demobilization, as well as resources needed for effective implementation of UNOMIL tasks.

The Council also welcomed the Secretary-General's intention to send a mission to consult with Liberian leaders on what would be needed to implement the Abuja Agreement. Member States, particularly African countries, were urged to consider providing troops for an expanded ECOMOG.

In debate, Liberia said that with an eye to the future, the Government was trying to revive the economy, reopen schools and hospitals, and restore water and electricity to areas it controlled, he said. It was also encouraging investors to come back.

Ghana said that after many false starts and failures, the Liberian civil war was finally ending. West African States, despite their dire economic straits, had borne an enormous burden in trying to contain the war and bring peace to Liberia.

Report

In a 13 September report (S/1995/781), the Secretary-General said that in accordance with the Abuja Agreement, the parties should make every effort to complete the disengagement, assembly, disarmament and demobilization of their forces.

The parties had installed a Council of State on 1 September and re-established a comprehensive cease-fire which appeared to be effective. Having agreed upon a timetable for implementing the peace agreement, including disarmament and demobilization, the parties had begun disengaging their forces, he stated.

At least 10 peace agreements had been signed and broken since 1989, the Secretary-General went on. Nevertheless, prospects for peace in liberia were perhaps better now than they had been at any time since the outbreak of the civil war.

Over the past few months, ECOWAS members had effectively harmonized their policies towards Liberia. Their representatives had met with faction leaders on numerous occasions and a new spirit of cooperation had emerged.

The international community should assist the parties in implementing the latest agreement, the Secretary-General went on. Describing Liberia as a country rich in natural resources, he stated that it could be put on the "path to recovery" in a relatively short period of time.

Demobilization of Liberia's 50,000 to 60,000 combatants, of whom 25 per cent were children, was a critical factor.

However, due to economic conditions, many combatants had resorted to the "rule of the gun" in order to feed themselves and their families. Me country's national police force could not maintain law and order even in the capital city of Monrovia, where that function to some extent was performed by ECOMOG.

Abuja Agreement

The Abuja talks, convened by the ECOWAS Chairman, President Jerry Rawlings of Ghana, culminated on 19 August in the signing by the leaders of the Liberian factions of an agreement amending and supplementing two previous peace pacts - the Cotonou and Akosombo accords, signed on 25 July 1993 and 12 September 1994, respectively.

The Agreement called for a cease-fire, which commenced on 26 August, and a six-member Council of State, composed of faction leaders, to remain in power until the elections, scheduled for 20 August 1996.