By Patrick Worsnip
New York - Declaring that the situation in war-torn eastern Congo had dramatically improved over the past year, United Nations envoy Olusegun Obasanjo announced plans on Monday to scale back his regional mediation efforts.
Obasanjo, a former president of Nigeria, told the UN Security Council improved ties between presidents Joseph Kabila of Congo and Paul Kagame of neighbouring Rwanda had been key to reducing violence, but admitted underlying problems remained.
Obasanjo said he and and fellow mediator, former Tanzanian president Benjamin Mkapa, would submit a final report to an African Union summit in January, but would remain "on alert" should their services be needed again. He proposed turning his support office in Nairobi into a "listening post".
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Obasanjo was appointed a year ago after a revolt by Tutsi insurgents caused 250 000 people to be driven from their homes in eastern Congo, the latest chapter in a conflict that has led to more than five million deaths since 1998.
Obasanjo and Mkapa mediated peace talks in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, but the breakthrough came when Rwanda decided to help end the rebellion it had previously been accused of backing. A peace deal was signed in March.
"Today the situation has been dramatically transformed," Obasanjo said. Many refugees were returning home, the Tutsi rebel group had become a political party and the threat from other armed groups had diminished, he said. - Reuters
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