Congo River reopened to traffic

By Mark Dummett in Kinshasa

The United Nations Security Council has announced the reopening of the Congo River to commercial traffic, a vital thoroughfare which has been blocked for two-and-a-half years as a result of the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In a country with few decent roads, hardly any working railways and exorbitantly expensive airlines, the rivers in DR Congo are important transport routes.

The UN humanitarian office in Kinshasa has said that the blocking of river traffic has left many in the capital starving.

But the world's third largest river has been cut in two by the front line that divides government forces and their foreign allies and rebels backed by Uganda and Rwanda.

Economic renaissance

Rather than ferrying essential foodstuffs down to the capital, Kinshasa, it has been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting between the two sides.

That now is about to change.

According to French ambassador Jean-David Levitte, who is leading a delegation of 12 members of the Security Council to all countries involved in the Congolese war, the river is now officially open.

He said it would lead to a renaissance in the devastated economy of the country.

A UN boat carrying fuel to the city of Kisangani will be the first to cross the front line, on 8 June, and the Uruguayan navy will be supplying 250 men to patrol sensitive points along the river.

Long-held goal

The opening of the Congo has for long been a goal of the UN, which has been monitoring a ceasefire and pushing the belligerents towards lasting peace.

The Security Council moves on from Congo to Zambia on Monday, where they will be meeting all the parties to the ceasefire agreement.

There they are hoping for something even more important to Congo's well-being - finalised plans for the withdrawal of all foreign armies.

Troops

Meanwhile, Congolese President Joseph Kabila has expressed disappointment with the level of UN troop contributions to his country.

He said about 20,000 peacekeeping troops were needed to support peace efforts.

The UN has so far deployed 1,300 troops to Congo.