New UN mission to monitor African borders.

The Security Council on 22 June decided to establish the United Nations Observer Mission Uganda-Rwanda (UNOMUR), to be deployed on the Ugandan side of the border to verify that no military assistance reached Rwanda.

By unanimously adopting resolution 846 (1993), the Council also urged the Government of Rwanda and the Rwandese Patriotic Front (RPF) to conclude quickly a comprehensive peace agreement and to refrain from any action that could contribute to tension.

The Secretary-General said (S/25810) that the deployment of observers could help promote negotiations between Rwanda and the RPF in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, and encourage the parties to pursue actively their efforts towards peace and national reconciliation.

UNOMUR, with an initial mandate of six months, will focus its observation activities on the transit of "lethal weapons and ammunition across the border, as well as any other material which could be of military use".

The Council welcomed the Secretary-General's decision to provide to the Organization of African Unity two military experts to support its peace efforts and assist its Neutral Military Observer Group.

The Secretary-General estimated that UNOMUR would require 81 military observers, 17 international and seven local civilian support staff.

A technical mission, led by the Secretary-General's Military Adviser, Brigadier-General Maurice Baril, visited Uganda and Rwanda between 2 and 6 April.

Peace talks

Peace talks between Rwanda and the RPF resumed in Arusha on 16 March. The agenda covered military issues, refugees and displaced persons, and outstanding political matters, including the amendment of the constitution and the duration of a transitional period.

On 28 June, the United Republic of Tanzania, as official Facilitator of the negotiations, informed (S/26007) the Council that a comprehensive peace agreement, which all parties had agreed to conclude on 24 June, had not yet been signed. Consequently, the agreement was signed on 4 August. Major issues included composition of the national army and gendarmerie, transitional structures, and appointment of a Prime Minister.

900,000 displaced

On 15 April, the UN appealed for $78 million to help some 900,000 displaced persons in Rwanda. The International Committee of the Red Cross in April warned that displaced people were facing a "major humanitarian catastrophe" and that famine was imminent.

On 9 June, the World Food Programme reported that the first humanitarian truck convoy in months to deliver assistance across the Ugandan border had arrived in the Rwandan capital of Kigali.

Civil strife in Rwanda worsened in October 1990 when a number of clashes occurred on its border with Uganda. After a lull, armed fighting in the north of Rwanda resumed in February 1993, leading to a massive increase in the number of displaced persons.