Ireland will take part with other members of the Security Council in a special United Nations diplomatic peace mission to Central Africa later this month to investigate ways of resolving the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
The head of the Irish delegation to the UN, Mr Richard Ryan, told the Security Council yesterday the mission, which will also visit other countries in the Great Lakes region, would provide an opportunity to advance the peace process.
The group, including the deputy head of the Irish UN delegation, Mr David Cooney, is expected to arrive in the region on May 15th. As many as 2-1/2 million people are thought to have died in the conflict.
In addition to the DRC government and its rebel opponents, the war has drawn in five other African countries.
Uganda and Rwanda both sent troops into the DRC in August 1998 to aid the Congolese rebels seeking to overthrow former President Laurent Kabila, who was later assassinated and has been replaced by his son, Joseph.
Both countries were also acting to secure their borders from attacks by Rwandan and Ugandan rebels operating from within the Congo. On the other side Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia sent in troops to support the Congolese government.
A peace agreement was concluded in the Zambian capital, Lusaka, in July 1999, although sporadic fighting continues.
Uganda withdrew from the accord at the end of April after it was accused in a report by a UN panel of experts.
Uganda and Burundi, as well as the rebel Congolese Rally for Democracy, were accused in the report of carrying out illicit activities such as the large-scale looting of farms, mineral stockpiles and banks. Uganda said it intended to stick by the commitment to withdraw troops.