In May 2005, the European Union established a mission (EUSEC) in the DR Congo to support the reform of the security sector in the country. EUSEC provides advice to the Congolese authorities on army integration and is helping the implementation of administrative reform in the army. Such reform is crucial, as the security of the upcoming elections in the country will largely depend on the discipline of DRC’s army and police forces and its capability to provide logistical support in the elections. With the mission’s mandate up for renewal in the next days, General Pierre Michel Joana, head of EUSEC, provides insight into the reform.
LEADERSHIP INTERVIEW *
What are the tasks of EUSEC?
An administrative chain of payment, different from the chain of command needs to be put in place.
General Joana: EUSEC is a mission of the European Union that is mandated to back the reform of the security sector in the DR Congo. The mission was set-up on 2 May 2005 and started by dealing with the Army integration process.
EUSEC has assigned three experts to the Minister of Defence, to the Chief of staff and the Chief of the Army (land), with the latter forming the bulk of the troops to be integrated. Three more advisers were assigned to CONADER, the Military Structure for Integration (SMI) and the Joint Operations Coordination centre (CCOC). This mechanism helps to closely monitor the evolution of the process and to advise political and military decision-makers on how to solve most of the deadlocks, which happen frequently.
What are the major problems encountered by army integration?
The first obstacle is the lack of general information on an excessively complex process. I would like to recall that the FARDC are made up of six different ex-components (NDLR: ex-government, ex-ANC, ex-RCD KML, ex-MLC, the armed groups of Ituri and the Mai-Mai component).
We have to identify and select all the former belligerents who were fighting until a few months ago. They have to be integrated into the brigades that will be deployed on the ground, depending on the operational needs set by the Army staff headquarters. All this must be achieved in conjunction with MONUC.
The most difficult task consists of making all the national and international stakeholders understand the mechanisms in place to avert deadlocks that, as said, happen very frequently.
Do you provide training?
No, EUSEC acts as an advisor. When things go wrong, I report to the Minister that the process got stuck and suggest what can actually be done to improve the situation. Unfortunately, this is very complex and things do not move as fast as we would have expected.
What role are you playing with regard to the payment of troops?
That is the second aspect of our mission. EUSEC has brought in an experts team last August to undertake an audit with the Ministry of Defence and identify the areas that needed to be corrected.
The auditors worked for a month and issued a voluminous report, referred to as “EUSEC report”. The findings indicate that the administrative system of the Congolese army, notably the status of the military forces needed to be built-up from scratch. For if one does not know exactly the rights and duties of soldiers, it will be difficult to determine the wages they deserve.
Another issue of concern is the evaluation of the strength of the forces. The contingents obviously over assessed their strengths. The exact number of troops must be identified to allow the Minister to run his staff and plan an appropriate budget. This evaluation program is ongoing and will be completed by end-June.
Do you mean a military census is in process?
Quite right, initially the number of FARDC troops was estimated at some 340,000 troops. Now, by contrast, the total strength of the Congolese armed forces can be estimated at around 100,000 men. The census is not yet completed, though. Given the fact that less troops exist, less salaries are actually paid, and hence, the salaries could actually be augmented since January 2006.
Salaries could rise by how much?
Troops’ wage has been increased from USD 10.00 to USD 23.00 per month, which is still insufficient. However, it is a slight improvement that will have a positive impact on the living conditions of the FARDC.
The pay system needs to be completely overhauled. Presently, unit commanders receive all salaries and pay the troops accordingly. This practice is against the rules of sound financial management. We have therefore proposed an administrative chain of payment that is separate from the chain of command.
This was approved, and we are now in the process of implementing the reform. To get the mechanism fully implemented, I have engaged an additional thirty specialists who have now all arrived in the DRC. One team is already working in Kinshasa to improve the status of the soldiers, the evaluation of army contingents, as well as the management of the chain of payment.
We have also assigned assistants to the integrated brigades in Eastern DRC who help install the new administrative chains with modern and reliable means. They ensure that each soldier is identified and paid.
What is MONUC’s support in the reform?
As proposed by Mr. Swing, the Special Representative of the United Nations in the DRC, MONUC decided to support the process of paying salaries to soldiers. Since December 2005, the mission is mobilizing observers to assist the Congolese in paying FARDC soldiers.
MONUC does not contribute any money but accompanies Congolese treasurers from Kinshasa to the field and introduces them to the new methods of payment. MONUC ensures that treasurers receive the salaries and pay them out to the different battalions and brigades in conformity with the established norms. MONUC accompanies this process both technically and administratively.
To what extent are you going to assist the army reform?
EUSEC will assist this reform until the new system is stable and operates correctly. We are not going to accompany the remuneration of Congolese troops indefinitely. This is the responsibility of the FARDC.
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* Translated from French by Yulu Kabamba and Tom Tshibangu / MONUC
