The withdrawal of MONUSCO from the Democratic Republic of Congo in December 2023: a major decision for the stability of the country
The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) remains worrying, particularly in the eastern region of the country where armed groups continue to sow terror. Faced with this situation, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula Apala Pen’Apala, sent an urgent appeal to the United Nations Security Council to accelerate and make accountable the withdrawal of the United Nations Mission United Nations for Stabilization in Congo (MONUSCO).
In his speech before the Security Council, Mr. Lutundula highlighted several crucial issues. First of all, the growing tensions between MONUSCO and the Congolese population. Many Congolese criticize the UN mission for its passivity and its inability to protect them against armed groups. To remedy this, Mr. Lutundula proposed clarifying MONUSCO’s mandate and providing it with suitable weaponry to face current challenges.
The Deputy Prime Minister also highlighted Rwanda’s aggression against the DRC and its alleged support for the M23 armed group. He asked the Security Council to strongly condemn this aggression and to sanction those responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on Congolese territory. Regretting that Security Council resolution 2666(2022) did not take into account the concerns and proposals of the Congolese government, Mr. Lutundula stressed the urgency of taking concrete measures to put an end to these attacks.
In addition, the Minister of Foreign Affairs deplored the continued deterioration of the security situation in North Kivu, marked by the presence of the M23 armed group and the Rwandan army. He also mentioned the recent violent incidents in Goma, Béni, Butembo and Kasindi, and the humanitarian tragedy which affects around 5 million displaced people. Faced with these challenges, the Congolese government took the decision to accelerate the withdrawal of MONUSCO, initially planned for the end of 2024, to bring it back to the end of 2023. This decision aims to appease the tensions with the population, to prevent new violent incidents and to restore trust between the Congolese population and the United Nations.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs also called on the Security Council to enter into urgent discussions with the Congolese government in order to develop a plan for the gradual disengagement of UN troops. It is essential to define the modalities for transferring MONUSCO activities to other entities, to reduce the mission’s workforce and to put in place an operational plan for the transition.
In conclusion, M. Lutundula stressed the importance of learning lessons from past UN interventions in Africa and changing the paradigm in peace missions on the continent. He insisted on the need to restore peace and security in the DRC by ending Rwandan aggression, eradicating armed groups, allowing the return of displaced people and organizing elections throughout the country.
The Congolese government looks forward to the adoption of a new resolution by the Security Council in December 2023, taking into account this new approach to the withdrawal of MONUSCO. This withdrawal represents a major turning point for the stability of the DRC and opens the way to better security and a more serene future for the Congolese people.