Global Policy Forum

UN Mission in Sierra Leone Helps

Print
UN News
September 22, 2005

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has brought together, for the first time, what are now the three leading political parties in the West African country emerging from more than a decade of civil strife, as the mission winds down its peacekeeping and peacebuilding work.


Presiding over the meeting of party representatives yesterday, the Special Representative of the Secretary General, UNAMSIL chief Daudi Mwakawago, said: "I would like to urge you all to seize the moment and build a solid non-partisan national platform for an open and free flow of communication and unimpeded consultations between the government of the day and opposition parties on issues of wider collective interest to the nation."

The ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) was joined by the All Peoples Party (APP) and the Peoples Liberation Party (PLP). The challenges facing the country, such as proper use of internal and external human resources, management of foreign resources and maximum utilization of mineral, marine and forest assets, call for collaboration in leveraging the energies and intellectual resources of all Sierra Leoneans without regard to party labels, allegiances, affiliations and ideologies, Mr. Mwakawago said.

He urged the parties to forge an all-party national alliance, which would "serve as a catalyst for evolving a broad-based national vision and entrenching the values of democratic pluralism that will significantly benefit social and political stability and sustainable economic development." He insisted that the parties needed to cultivate a culture of tolerance, a two-way-traffic style of leadership, a multi-partisan approach to problems and a drive towards peace and stability.

Deputy SRSG Victor Angelo carried a similar message to a meeting of civil society organizations (CSOs), convened yesterday by UNAMSIL to mark the International Day of Peace. In addition, he said the follow-on mission next year, the UN Integrated Mission in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL), would stand on four pillars; peace and development, human rights with a strong emphasis on implementing the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, security and development. There would also be a very high priority placed on public information to promote a culture of tolerance, peace and inclusiveness, thus moving the country from conflict back to prosperity, Mr. Angelo said.


More Information on the Security Council
More Information on Sierra Leone
More Information on Peacekeeping

FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C íŸ 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.


 

FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C § 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.