Ceasefire Agreement (Lusaka Agreement)

The Republic of Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, The Republic of Namibia, The Republic of Rwanda, The Republic of Uganda, The Republic of Zimbabwe. Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (signed on 01/08/1999).

Congolese Rally for Democracy (RCD) (signed on 31/08/1999)

The Republic of Zambia, the Organization for African Unity (OAU), the United Nations and the Southern African Development Community (SADC)

Provided for cessation of hostilities. Parties expressed their commitment to addressing security concerns of DRC and neighbouring countries and to the exchange of prisoners of war and release of other detainees. Provision was also made for the facilitation of humanitarian assistance; a UN peacekeeping force; a Joint Military Commission; the final withdrawal of foreign forces; re-establishment of state administration and open dialogue; formation of a national, integrated army; and a mechanism for disarmament and measures to facilitate repatriation of militias. Reaffirmed the sovereignty and territorial integrity of DRC and acceptance of the idea of equal rights for all citizens. Annexes gave further details on the implementation of various parts of the agreement and provided a timetable for implementation. Cessation of hostilities within 24 hs of signing the Agreement; agreed terms for inter-Congolese political negotiations; agreed calender for implementation.

Main category

Page 4-5, ARTICLE I, THE CEASE-FIRE
2. The cease-fire shall mean:
. c. all acts of violence against the civilian population by respecting and protection human rights. The acts of violence include summary executions, torture, harassment, detention and execution of civilians based on their ethnic origin; propaganda, inciting ethnic and tribal hatred; arming civilians; recruitment and use of child soldiers; sexual violence; training and use of terrorists; massacres, downing of civilian aircraft; and bombing the civilian populations:

Women, girls and gender

Page 4-5, ARTICLE I, THE CEASE-FIRE 2. The cease-fire shall mean: . c. all acts of violence against the civilian population by respecting and protection human rights. The acts of violence include summary executions, torture, harassment, detention and execution of civilians based on their ethnic origin; propaganda, inciting ethnic and tribal hatred; arming civilians; recruitment and use of child soldiers; sexual violence; training and use of terrorists; massacres, downing of civilian aircraft; and bombing the civilian populations:

Page 4, ARTICLE I, THE CEASE-FIRE: 3. The Ceasefire shall entail the cessation of:
. c. all acts of violence against the civilian population by respecting and protection human rights. The acts of violence include summary executions, torture, harassment, detention and execution of civilians based on their ethnic origin; propaganda, inciting ethnic and tribal hatred; arming civilians; recruitment and use of child soldiers; sexual violence; training and use of terrorists; massacres, downing of civilian aircraft; and bombing the civilian populations;

We the Parties lo this Agreement;

CONSIDERING Article 52 of the UN Charter on regional arrangements for dealing with matters relating to the maintenance of international peace and security as are appropriate for regional action;

REAFFIRMING the provisions of Article 3 of the OAU Charter which, inter alia, guarantee all Member States the right to their sovereignty and territorial integrity;

REAFFIRMING further Resolution AIIG710/1 adopted by the OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in 1964 in Cairo, Egypt, on territorial integrity and the inviolability of national boundaries as inherited at independence.

RECALLING the Pretoria Summit Communique dated 23"' August, 1998 re-affirming (hat all ethnic groups and nationalities whose people and territory constituted what became Congo (now DRC) at independence must enjoy equal rights and protection under the law as citizens.

DETERMINED to ensure the respect, by all Parties signatory to (his Agreement, for the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Additional Protocols of 1977, and the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide of 1948, as reiterated at the Entebbe Regional Summit of 25 March, 1998;

DETERMINED further to put to an immediate halt to any assistance, collaboration or giving of sanctuary to negative forces bent on destabilising neighbouring countries;

EMPHASISING the need lo ensure that the principles of good neighbourliness and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries are respected;

CONCERNED about the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and its negative impact on the country and other countries in the Great Lakes Region;

REITERATING the call made at the Second Victoria Falls Summit held from 7 to 8 September, 1998, as contained in the Joint Communiqué of the Summit, for the immediate cessation of hostilities;

COGNISANT of the fact that addressing the security concerns of the DRC and neighbouring countries is central and would contribute to the peace process;

RECALLING the mandate, contained in the Victoria Falls II Joint Communiqué, given to the Ministers of Defence and other officials working in close cooperation wi(h the OAU and the UN to establish the modalities for effecting an immediate ceasefire and put in place a mechanism for monitoring compliance with the ceasefire provisions;

RECALLING the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1234 of 9 April, 1999 and all oilier Resolutions and Decisions on the DRC since 2 August, 1998.

RECALLING further the Summit meetings of Victoria Falls I and II, Pretoria, Durban, Port Louis, Nairobi, Windhoek, Dodoma and the Lusaka and Gaborone Ministerial peace efforts on the DRC conflict;

RECALLING further the Peace Agreement signed on 18 April, 1999 at Sirte (Libya);

RECOGNISING that the conflict in the DRC has both internal and external dimensions that require intra-Cougolese political negotiations and commitment of the Parties to the implementation of'this Agreement to resolve;

TAKING note of the commitment of the Congolese Government, the RCD, the MLC and all other Congolese political and civil organisations to hold an all inclusive National Dialogue aimed at realising national reconciliation and a new political dispensation in the DRC;

HEREBY AGREE AS FOLLOWS:-

ARTICLE I THE CEASE-FIRE

The Parties agree to a cease-fire among all their forces in the DRC.

The cease-(Ire shall mean:

the cessation of hostilities between all the belligerent forces in the DRC, as provided for in (his Cease-fire Agreement (hereinafter referred to as "the Agreement");

the effective cessation of hostilities, military movements and reinforcements, as well as hostile actions, including hostile propaganda;

a cessation of hostilities within 24 hours of the signing of (he Cease-fire Agreement;

The Ceasefire shall entail the cessation ofr-

all air, land, and sea attacks as well as all actions of sabotage;

attempts to occupy new ground positions and the movement of military forces and resources from one area to another, without prior agreement between the parties;

all acts of violence against the civilian population by respecting and protecting human rights.

The acts of violence include summary executions, torture, harassment, detention and execution of civilians based on their ethnic oiigin;

propaganda inciting ethnic and tribal hatred;

recruitment and use of child soldiers;

training and use of terrorists;

massacres, downing of civilian aircraft;

and bombing the civilian population;

supplies of ammunition and weaponry and other war-related stores to the field;

any other actions that may impede the normal evolution of the cease-fire process.

ARTICLE II SECURITY CONCERNS

4. On the coming into force of this Agreement the Parlies commit themselves to immediately address the security concerns of the DRC and her neighbouring countries.

ARTICLE III PRINCIPLES OF THE AGREEMENT

The provisions of paragraph 3 (e) do not preclude the supply of food, clothing and medical support for the military forces in the field.

The cease-fire shall guarantee the free movement of persons and goods throughout the national territory of the Democratic Republic of

On the coming into force of the Agreement, the Parties shall release persons detained or taken hostage and shall give them the latitude to relocate to any provinces within the DRC or country where their security will be guaranteed.

The Parties to the Agreement commit themselves to exchange prisoners of war and release any other persons detained as a result of the war.

9. The Parties shall allow immediate and unhindered access to the Iiiteimational Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Red Crescent for the purpose of arranging the release of prisoners of war and other

persons detained as a result of the war as well as the recovery of the dead and the treatment of the wounded.

10. The Parties shall facilitate humanitarian assistance through the opening up of humanitarian corridors and creation of conditions conducive to the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance to displaced persons, refugees and other affected persons.

11. a. The United Nations Security Council, acting under Chapter VU of the UN Charter and in collaboration with the OAU, shall be requested to constitute, facilitate and deploy an appropriate peacekeeping force in the DRC to ensure implementation of this Agreement;

and taking into account the peculiar .situation of the DRC, mandate (he peacekeeping force to track down all armed groups in Ihc DRC.

In this respect, the UN Security Council shall provide the requisite mandate for the peace-keeping force.

b. The Parties shall constitute ;

i Joint Military Commission (JMC) which shall, together with the UN/OAU Observer group be responsible for executing, immediately after the coming into force of this Agreement, peace-keeping operations until the deployment of the UN peace-keeping force.

Us composition and mandate shall be as stipulated in Chapter 7 of Annex 'A' of this Agreement.

The final withdrawal of all foreign forces from the national territory of the DRC shall be carried out in accordance with the Calender in Annex ' B ' of this Agreement and a withdrawal schedule to be prepared by the UN, the OAU and the JMC.

The laying of mines of whatever type shall be prohibited.

Tliere shall be immediate disengagement of forces in the areas where they are in direct contact.

Nothing in the Agreement shall in any way undermine the sovereignly and territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Parties re-afflrm that all ethnic groups and nationalities whose people and Icrrilory constituted what became Congo (now DRC) at independence must enjoy equal rights and protection under the law as citizens.

The Parties to the Agreement shall take all necessary measures aimed at securing the normalisation of the situation along the international borders of the Democratic Republic of Congo, including the control of illicit trafficking ofarms and the infiltration of armed groups.

In accordance with the terms of the Agreement and upon conclusion of the Inter-Congolese political negotiations, state administration shall be re-established throughout the national territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

On the coming into force of the Agreement, the Government of the DRC, the armed opposition, namely, the RCD and Ml.

C as well as the unarmed opposition shall enter into an open national dialogue.

These inter-Congolese political negotiations involving lesforces vives shall lead to a new political dispensation and national reconciliation in the DRC.

The intcr-Congolcsc political negotiations shall be under the aegis of a neutral facilitator to be agreed upon by the Congolese .parties.

All the Parlies commit themselves to supporting this dialogue and shall ensure that the inter-Congolese political negotiations are conducted in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 5 of Annex * A*.

In accordance with the terms of the Agreement and upon the conclusion of the national dialogue, there shall be a mechanism for the formation of a national, restructured and integrated army, including the forces of the Congolese Parties who are signatories to this Agreement, on the basis of negotiations between the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo and the RCD and MLC.

The Parties affirm the need to address the security concerns of the DRC and her neighbouring countries.

There shall be a mechanism for disarming militias and armed groups, including the genocidal forces.

In this context, all Parties commit themselves to the process of locating, identifying, disarming and assembling all members of armed groups in the DRC.

Countries of origin of members of the armed groups, commit themselves to taking all the necessary measures to facilitate their repatriation.

Such measures may include the granting of amnesty in countries where such a measure has been deemed beneficial.

It shall, however, not apply in the case of suspects of the crime of genocide.

The Parlies assume full responsibility of ensuring that armed groups operating alongside their troops or on the territory under their control, comply with the processes leading to the dismantling of those groups in particular.

The Parlies shall ensure the implementation of the terms of the Agreement and its Annexes ' A ' and 'IT which form an integral part of the Agreement.

The definitions of common terms used are at Annex ' C .

The Agreement shall take effect 24 hours after signature.

The Agreement may be amended by agreement of the Parties and any such amendment shall be in writing and shall be signed by them in the same way as the Agreement.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF theduly authorised representatives ofthe Parties have signed the Agreement inthe English, French and Portuguese languages, all texts being equally authentic.

DONE AT LUSAKA (ZAMBIA) ON THIS DAY OF

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF ANGOLA rsiqnature]

FOR THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF NAMIBIA

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF RWANDA

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF UGANDA

FOR THE REPUBLIC OF ZIMBABWE