Brussels, 30 May 2000 - As part of its policy on Africa and at the proposal of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Louis Michel, the Council of Ministers has decided to grant the following financial aid:
- BEF 4 million for the mission of Mr Nelson Mandela, the facilitator in the "Arusha peace process" in Burundi;

- BEF 4 million for the mission of Sir Ketumile Masire, the facilitator in the inter-Congolese political dialogue provided for under the peace agreement signed in Lusaka in July 1999.

These contributions are part of an active policy pursued by Belgium and the European Union to support these two peace processes right from the outset.

By making these contributions, Belgium aims to lend its political and financial support to processes that have reached a crucial phase: in Burundi, the negotiations have moved into a critical phase, whereas in the Democratic Republic of Congo a credible political dialogue is urgently needed to ensure a development of the situation in parallel with UN deployment (Phase II of MONUC), as provided for under the Lusaka agreement.