Written question asked by Keith Simpson (Conservative) on Thursday, 23 April 2009, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 27 April 2009. It was answered by Baroness Merron (Labour) on Wednesday, 6 May 2009 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Peacekeeping Operations

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Stroud of 2 March 2009, Official Report, column 1235W, on the Democratic Republic of Congo: peacekeeping operations, what the proposed UK support to the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) will consist of; and what progress has been made on the secondment of the small number of appropriately skilled individuals from the UK to fill vacant posts on the MONUC staff.

Answer: In addition to the five British personnel currently seconded to UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (MONUC), the UN Secretariat announced on 9 April 2009 that our candidate for the position of Deputy Force Commander slot had been accepted. He is scheduled to take up his post in May 2009, by which time the total number of UK personnel in the mission will be seven. The UK pays 7.8 per cent. of the total cost of MONUC. In addition, the UK, through the Africa Conflict Prevention Pool, has allocated £2.5 million for conflict prevention work in DRC this financial year.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 492 c168-9W; 271646
Session: 2008-09
Related items: Democratic Republic of Congo: Peacekeeping Operations
Monday, 2 March 2009
Written questions
House of Commons
Subjects: Peacekeeping operations Democratic Republic of the Congo
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk