Mr. Alan Doss, Representative of the UN Secretary General in the Democratic Republic of Congo, traveled on Wednesday 6 August 2008 to Goma, capital of North Kivu province, accompanied by MONUC Force Commander General Bababacar Gaye, a strong ministerial delegation of the Congolese Government, Amani Programme Coordinator Reverend Malu Malu, and senior Congolese Government officials, including Presidential Ambassador Ngwej, as well as several representatives of the international community supporting the peace process in eastern DRC.

The delegation is in Goma to take part in several meetings of the Steering Committee of the Amani Programme, to evaluate the process and to meet the actors on the ground implied in the Amani Programme, including the signatories of the Acts of Engagement of the Goma Conference. They must also give a progress report on the Nairobi process.

Many important personalities, including Mr. Alan Doss, underlined recently to the signatories of the Acts of Engagement of the Goma Conference on the urgent need to put an end to the sufferings of the civilians of the Kivu provinces, and to accelerate the implementation of the Amani Programme, in particular the work of the Mixed Technical Commission on peace and security.

This work must lead to the concrete execution of the disengagement plan, the brassage and integration into the army of the troops of the various armed groups who are signatories to the Goma Act of Engagement, or to the demobilization and reintegration into civilian life of the combatants from these groups that wish it.

In North Kivu province in eastern DRC, many clashes between various armed factions were reported. Despite these clashes, the Military Sub Commission of the Mixed Technical Commission on Peace and Security continues its work, in particular a preliminary draught for the demobilization plan.