UN MISSION FOR BURUNDI

The United Nations Security Council announced a new 5,650-strong peacekeeping mission with a chapter 7 mandate for Burundi. The new operation will incorporate the bulk of the 2,700 troops from South Africa, Mozambique and Ethiopia already in Burundi under the auspices of the African Union. Pakistan and Nepal will supplement the military contingents, which will stay under South African command. Canadian Carolyn McAskie, a humanitarian specialist, has been named U.N. representative to supervise the operation.

The 5,650 includes 120 civilian police and political personnel, who are to train a new police force and help with a constitution and elections, expected by Oct. 31. The new mission is called the U.N. Operation in Burundi, or ONUB, its French acronym.

The resolution was adopted unanimously by the 15-member Security Council despite previous wrangling over the text of the resolution. The adopted resolution states that the mission will:

• investigate cease-fire violations,

• supervise the disarmament process and assist with the dismantling of the militias,

• contribute to the completion of free, transparent and peaceful elections,

• protect civilians under imminent threat of physical violence, among other things.

The mission will work closely with MONUC, the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially in order to monitor and prevent the movement of combatants across the border between Burundi and the DRC.

This mission brings the number of current UN missions around the world up to 16, with 53,000 personnel serving worldwide.

+ UN Security Council Resolution 1545

Proposed Reforms to the Current UN Peace Operations System:

About the Brahimi Report

Summary of the Report's Recommendations

An Analysis of the Secretary-General's Follow-up Report on the Brahimi Report, released June 2001

Report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (Brahimi Report)