KINSHASA, Democratic Republic of Congo, July 10 (UPI) -- The United Nations is urging Democratic Republic of the Congo leaders to accelerate steps toward peace to end violence plaguing the country's eastern region.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Congo government leaders to step up efforts to meet benchmarks and foster the development of legitimate government institutions. Ban also encouraged authorities to ensure local elections are held in a timely manner, the United Nations reported.
Violence plaguing the eastern region of Congo has diminished as a result of the Goma Agreement and the Nairobi process, which established a new cooperation between Congo and Rwanda to work together against threats to stability. But Ban warned any progress made needs to be supported through political engagement.
"The resolution of the crisis in the Kivus and the development of legitimate government institutions are critical benchmarks for the gradual MONUC (the U.N. mission in DR Congo) drawdown," Ban said in a statement.
"The steady, albeit slow, progress unfolding in this regard is encouraging but should be accelerated," Ban said.
