Zambian PresidentFrederick Chiluba played a major role in the signing of the agreement in his role as Chairman of the Regional Initiative for Peace in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[1]
Treaty terms
The parties agreed to halt all military operations within 24 hours of signing the agreement in Article I, clause 2, section c. Article I prohibited further military movement or the transfer of armaments to the battlefield and called on all nations to respect human rights and protect civilians. Article III released all prisoners of war in clause 8 and gave the International Red Cross the task of assisting the wounded in clause 9. Clause 11 requested the deployment of a United Nations peacekeeping force in accordance with Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.[3] The document also requested that the OAU establish a temporary peacekeeping force to combat militant groups until the UN force arrived.[2] Mwesiga Laurent Baregu and Chris Landsberg of the International Peace Academy criticized this provision in 2003, saying the OAU had been overwhelmed and the SADC was better equipped to handle the burden.[1]
^ abcdLaurent Baregu, Mwesiga; Chris Landsberg (2003). From Cape to Congo: Southern Africa's Evolving Security Challenges. International Peace Academy. p. 214.
^Government Accounting Office (GAO) (2000). U.N. peacekeeping executive branch consultations with Congress did not fully meet expectations in 1999-2000. p. 51.