UN political chief begins week-long visit to Southern and Eastern Africa

Children displaced by LRA attacks in Western Equatoria State, Sudan

14 October 2009 – The United Nations political chief departs today for a week-long trip to Africa’s south and east to strengthen the world body’s partnerships with key Member States and regional organizations on such issues as conflict prevention, peacemaking and post-conflict peacebuilding.

Under-Secretary-General B. Lynn Pascoe will visit South Africa, Angola, Burundi, Uganda and Kenya during the trip, in which he will meet with key Government officials as well as representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

The situations in Somalia, Burundi, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the areas affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and Madagascar are all expected to be on the agenda, while Mr. Pascoe is also slated to visit the UN Integrated Office in Burundi (BINUB) in Bujumbura and the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS) in Nairobi.

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