Page 16 - DIVA_4_2006_No.27

Interview with Ross Mountain,
Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-
General, United Nations Mission in the Democratic

Republic of the Congo (MONUC)

Ross Mountain, a natio- humanitarian affairs cally eveiything l'ias to be
nal of New Zealand, around the world-in done by air.
was appointed Deputy Iraq, Lebanon, Haiti,
For these elections we have
Special Representative Liberia, Afghanistan.
gone tlu'origl'i a vei'y intensive
of the Secretary- On his short visit to
process. The role of the
General in November Geneva before heading
United Nations is to support
2004. In this capacity, toward the DRC again,
tlie Independent Electoral
he also serves as he kindly accepted to Corni'nission of the DRC.
Resident Co-ordinator answer some questions. This is cai'+'ied out essentially
and Humanitarian Co- by MONUC and the tJt'ffted
ordinator in charge or Nations Development
the reconstruction of Q: You said that you have Prograini'ne (UNDP). This is
three different aspects to the biggest electoral opera-
tmvamm the Democratic

cover. Which is the most tion tl'iat the United Nations
Republic of the Congo
urgent: the humanitarian lias ever undertaken.
(DRC) and the prepara-
crisis, the rebuilding of the
tions leading up to the
country or the elections? The first cliallenge was to
election that has just
register the voters. Tlie politi-
taken place. Unfortunately, evetytlig is cal class estimate tliat 15

urgent. Tliese elections are million was a reasonable tar-
For more than twenty- tbe first multipaity elections get, we lioped to reach 20

five years, Mr that Congo has had in over inillion; and we ended up
foity years. DRC is a counhy with 25.7 million people
Mountain has gained

the size of Westen'+ Europe across tl'ie counhy using even

experience in the fields
aiid lias borders witb nine one of the more complicated

of economic and social
neighborirs. Sadly, it also has processes of registration.
development and
virtiially 110roads, so practi- Most people had no identifi-

14 5 2006 Diva
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