Irish troops to join EU mission in DR Congo

The Cabinet has approved the sending of up to ten Defence Forces personnel to join a European Union operation ahead of potentially violent elections in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Irish troops will work in support of the UN Mission in DR Congo (MONUC). There are around 16,000 UN troops serving with MONUC, which was established in 2000 by the United Nations Security Council. It is the largest UN peacekeeping mission in the world.

Three Irish military observers are stationed with MONUC.

In December 2005, the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) invited the EU to consider the possibility of providing "a suitably earmarked force reserve that could enhance MONUC's quick reaction capabilities during and immediately after the electoral process".

The EU operation will support MONUC during the elections, which are scheduled for July. They will step in to assist if violence breaks out at any stage.

The international community is paying up to €400 million to help organise DR Congo's elections. Ireland has so far contributed €500,000.

The presidential and parliamentary vote will be the first of their kind in four decades in the vast central African country.  But diplomats and UN officials warned last week that logistical delays, political squabbles and continued fighting by rebels and renegade militia mean the vote is unlikely to take place before late July.

The vote is intended to draw a line under Congo's last war, which officially ended in 2003. Five years of violence sucked in six neighbouring countries and killed nearly four million people, mostly from conflict-related hunger and disease.

Minister for Defence Willie O'Dea said the Cabinet approval showed Ireland's active support for peacekeeping in Africa.

"Ireland's proposed contribution of up to 10 personnel is well in line with that of other contributing member states," he said. "It has to be looked at in the context of our existing major commitments to peacekeeping operations in Africa and in the Balkans."

Mr O'Dea said Dáil approval for the Irish mission is not required under the terms of the Defence Acts as the number of personnel involved is less than 12.

"In addition, €4 million has been provided to date in 2006 to help alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in the country, where an estimated 38,000 people are still dying every month from conflict-related causes and over 1.6 million people are displaced," said Mr O'Dea.