Global Policy Forum

By Judy Aita

The United Nations officially took over peacekeeping operations in Liberia October 1. The U.N. Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), authorized by the Security Council on September 19, took over peacekeeping duties from the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) whose troops have been maintaining order since July.

At a ceremony in Monrovia, the 3,500 West Africa troops were "re-hatted" with blue berets as U.N. peacekeepers and are now under U.N. command. They will soon be joined by a battalion from Bangladesh as UNMIL steadily increases its strength, U.N. spokesman Fred Eckhard said October 1. When fully deployed, UNMIL will be the United Nations' largest peacekeeping operation. The peacekeepers are being led by Lt. General Daniel Ishmael Opande of Kenya, the current force commander of the U.N. Mission in Sierra Leone.

"Today marks a new beginning for Liberia and its people -- the start of a process in which peace and security will be restored throughout the country through the deployment of up to 15,000 United Nations peacekeepers over the coming months," U.N. special envoy Jacques Klein said at the hand-over ceremony in Monrovia. "The fact that the United Nations Security Council has given UNMIL the strongest possible mandate is an indication of the deep commitment of the entire international community to this nation," Klein said. "With the planned presence of U.N. peacekeepers throughout this land, security will be achieved and the delivery of desperately needed humanitarian assistance will be facilitated, alleviating the suffering of hundreds of thousands of Liberians."

Klein also appealed to "each and every Liberian" to support the mission. "At so critical a juncture in the history of this nation, I wish to appeal to all citizens to put aside their personal or political differences and to unite in support of the peace process now under way," he said. "The United Nations Mission in Liberia stands ready to work in partnership with all of you as we embark on the difficult, but rewarding path to permanent peace for Liberia, and ultimately, for the entire West African sub-region," Klein said.

At the U.S. State Department in Washington, spokesman Richard Boucher said that "the United States welcomes the first day of operations of the new U.N. Mission in Liberia." The United States is committed to UNMIL's success, Boucher said. "We have provided nearly $26 million in contracted logistics support and equipment to support ECOMIL forces who will make up the first contingent of the new U.N. mission . . . . In addition, the United States expects to send nine officers, both headquarters staff, and military observers to participate in the operation." Boucher also praised the leadership of ECOWAS for its efforts to bring peace as well as for providing the initial peacekeeping force which has laid the groundwork for the U.N. mission.

U.N. spokesman Eckhard said that Secretary General Kofi Annan also welcomed the "very important development" and "salutes ECOWAS for its role in establishing the security climate that paved the way for the deployment of UNMIL." "Annan commends the Governments of Benin, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo who have contributed to UNMIL, as well as the United States for its support to the regional force," Eckhard said.

When it is fully staffed, UNMIL will have 15,000 military personnel and over 1,000 civilian police officers. UNMIL's mandate includes monitoring implementation of the ceasefire between the government and rebel forces and investigating violations of the cease-fire; assisting the disarmament, demobilization, reintegration, and repatriation of all armed parties; ensuring the delivery of humanitarian aid; providing security at key government installations, including major sea and air ports; and protecting U.N. staff, facilities, and civilians. Other UNMIL tasks include helping with the voluntary return of hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced persons, and assisting the transitional government in developing a strategy to consolidate governmental institutions and hold free and fair elections by October 2005. UNMIL's mandate is for an initial period of one year.

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