United Nations

NEW YORK, 27 November (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Office of the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General has decided to appoint Berhanu Dinka, his Special Representative for the Great Lakes Region, as Chairman of the Implementation Monitoring Committee (IMC), in accordance with Protocol V, Article 3.2 (b), of the Arusha Peace Agreement on Burundi.  The appointment was made in consultation with the Facilitator of the Burundi peace process, former South African President Nelson Mandela.
 
The mandate of the IMC includes monitoring, supervision, coordination and implementation of all provisions of the Agreement; interpretation of the Agreement; arbitration and ruling on disputes between the parties; guidance and coordination of activities of the commissions and sub-commissions provided for under the Agreement; and assisting the transitional government in mobilizing the resources required to implement the Agreement.

 Mr. Dinka and the Representative of the Secretary-General for Burundi,  Jean Arnault, have just concluded consultations with the Facilitator, the Burundi parties, the member countries of the regional initiative and the Organization of African Unity on the structure and functioning of the IMC and on the role expected of the United Nations as its Chairman.  The Facilitator is expected to launch the IMC during the meeting of the Burundi parties in Arusha from 25 to 28 November, and the IMC is to hold its first meeting under United Nations chairmanship during the meeting.