Urgent action is needed to avert a collapse of the peace process in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and possible emergence of war there, an international pressure group has warned.

The International Crisis Group has appealed to the UN Security Council to strengthen the UN Mission in the DRC. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan recently submitted a report on the DRC to the Security Council, in which he sought an increase of UN troops from 10,800 to 23,900.

The peacekeeping troops need a clearer mandate and more financial resources to be able to contain armed groups and to facilitate a diplomatic strategy that can support the efforts of the transitional government in Kinshasa, says the group in a report. (The Herald)