Mr. Alan Doss, the Special representative of the UN Secretary General in the DRC, accompanied by MONUC Force commander General Babacar Gaye, paid a visit to Goma on Saturday 9 February 2008, in order to make a progress report on the follow-up of the Goma conference. He welcomed the progress achieved and called on all armed groups to respect the act of engagement.

In addition to respect of the cease fire, he laid a particular emphasis on the measures taken by MONUC in order to verify the respect of the cease fire on the ground.

These issues, as well as the implementation of the official statement of Nairobi, formed part of the successive talks which the MONUC delegation had with the civilian and military personnel of MONUC Goma including MONUC North Kivu commander General Singh; Mr. Doss’ first official visit with North Kivu governor Mr. Julien Paluku, and finally, a meeting with a delegation of international representatives aiding the Goma and Nairobi processes, made up of the European Union Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, Mr. Roland Van de Geer, as well as United Kingdom and US representatives in Goma.

When questioned on the progress achieved within the framework of the follow-up of the Goma conference, the Special Representative qualified the evolution of the process as positive.

In this respect, he underlined the installation of a temporary mechanism of cease-fire monitoring, of which MONUC is the focal point; as well as the recent publication, by the government, of an order creating the official follow-up bodies of the conference; the reinforcement of MONUC blue helmets on the ground, as well as the transfer of the general headquarters of MONUC forces from Kisangani to Goma.

Mr. Doss launched an urgent call to the armed groups so that they strictly respect the engagements they entered into at the end of the Goma conference, in particular the cease fire, as all the follow-up bodies of the conference are being installed.