The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) recently informed the UN Security Council that it had completed the first phase of withdrawing the UN-DRC peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, but the second phase has been paused due to ongoing conflict concerns. The decision to halt further withdrawal, highlighted in a recent UN Security Council meeting, comes amid continued aggression from Rwanda in the North Kivu region.
The head of MONUSCO, Bintou Keita, expressed alarm over rebel activities by the 23 March Movement (M23), warning that these actions posed a “very real risk of provoking a wider regional conflict.” M23 is a rebel group with alleged support from Rwanda, responsible for numerous human rights abuses, including unlawful killings and rapes since late 2022, according to a UN expert group’s findings.
The DRC representative emphasized that the country would only proceed with the next phases of the UN mission’s exit when conditions are deemed adequate, leaving the timeline uncertain. The UN peacekeeping mission has been operational for over two decades, with the first base transfer to the Congolese government occurring in February.
Keita’s recent report, spanning March to June 2024, documented a staggering 1,169 human rights violations and abuses, primarily in conflict-affected areas and largely attributed to M23, state agents, and other armed factions. Furthermore, the humanitarian crisis in DRC remains severe, with about 7.3 million people displaced, including 6.9 million in the eastern provinces. Keita stressed that ending MONUSCO operations would necessitate significant efforts from both local authorities and international partners.
Security Council members, alongside the DRC representative, underscored the urgency of a responsible and cautious transition to avoid a security vacuum. They reiterated concerns over M23’s destabilizing actions and called for proactive measures to address these challenges. There have been calls for a thorough investigation into the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission and reconsideration of the council’s approach to managing genocidal forces.
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