[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 142 (Tuesday, October 4, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: October 4, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
            ON S. 2475, THE AFRICAN CONFLICT RESOLUTION ACT

  Mr. JEFFORDS. Mr. President, I am pleased to join as a cosponsor of 
S. 2475, the Africa Conflict Resolution Act.
  My colleagues may note that this legislation does not break ground 
with new policy. What it does do, however, is underline the importance 
of an American partnership with African regional organizations in 
efforts to strengthened African conflict resolution capabilities. We 
are already attempting to do much of what is discussed in this 
legislation, but nowhere is the rationale clearly stated or the focus 
clearly defined. This legislation does this. It also calls for 
development of a comprehensive U.S. plan for interaction with the 
various African organizations that share our approach to conflict 
mediation. It is high time that such legislation is enacted, and as one 
who has pushed for it for some time, I am pleased to join my colleagues 
in supporting its passage today.
  The Africa Conflict Resolution Act highlights the important role of 
regional, subregional and nongovernmental organizations in conflict 
resolution in Africa. It also acknowledges the urgent need to promote 
demobilization and reintegration of military and security forces as a 
key to diffusing tensions and maintaining stability in countries in 
transition to civil societies.
  Past experience has shown that when we fail to invest in efforts to 
maintain the peace, we pay a much high price to restore the peace. 
Witness the costs in resources and human suffering which became 
necessary in Rwanda, Somalia, and Sudan, to name but a few examples.
  Earlier in this session, we approved a $170 million supplemental 
appropriation to the Department of Defense to cover the added costs of 
its much needed and highly effective humanitarian relief operations in 
Rwanda and Zaire. Yet much of the tragedy we are witnessing in Rwanda 
today could have been avoided if there had been effective involvement 
by the international community, particularly African mediators, early 
on in the process--and at a fraction of the cost of the subsequent 
humanitarian relief effort. One can see here the wisdom of the old 
adage, ``An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.''
  Demobilization of military and security forces has also proved 
critical to the success of national reconciliation efforts. In Angola, 
where civil war has raged since the mid 1970's, a promising peace 
accord failed in 1992, in large measure because of a failure to disarm 
and reintegrate the combatants into society. In order to avoid such 
pitfalls in the future, the United States, through the Agency for 
International Development, is developing a number of projects to aid in 
the demobilization process in Angola, Mozambique, Ethiopia, Uganda, and 
elsewhere in Africa. This bill acknowledges the value of such endeavors 
and encourages expanded projects of this nature, if conditions permit.
  The administration, and some Members of Congress--including myself, 
have called on regional and subregional organization to assume a more 
active role in conflict resolution in their own backyards. These 
organizations have expressed their willingness to accept these 
responsibilities. Yet they lack the expertise, infrastructure and 
resources to act effectively. Our legislation recognizes the importance 
of these organizations. Through our joint efforts, we can make progress 
in preventing, mediating, and resolving conflicts.
  The Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs, on which I 
sit, heard the testimony of several individuals with long and 
distinguished careers in Africa conflict resolution. It also solicited 
the views of a wide variety of organizations on the contents of this 
proposal, as well as the capacity of the OAU, subregional and 
nongovernmental organizations to be effective partners in conflict 
resolution. We appreciate their contribution to this effort and look 
forward to working with the Departments of State, Defense, and the 
Agency for International Development in the implementation of this 
legislation.
  I urge my colleagues to lend their support to this valuable and long 
overdue initiative. I hope that we can become more engaged in the 
facilitation of peace and therefore less frequently called upon to 
mitigate the effects of war.

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