DR Congo: Limitations to ‘strictly military approach’ to stem violence, mission chief warns 

Bintou Keita argued that, for stability to instrumentality to eastbound Congo, “the State indispensable win successful restoring and maintaining the assurance of the radical successful their quality to protect, administer, present justness and conscionable their basal needs.” 

Ms. Keita, who besides acts arsenic the head of the UN Stabilization Mission successful the country (MONUSCO), said that she has stressed this regularly in her exchanges with the Head of State and with the Prime Minister. 

Armed violence 

Starting on November 30, the Congolese Armed Forces initiated associated subject operations with the Ugandan service against the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the east. 

Bintou Keita, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission successful the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), briefs Security Council members connected the concern successful the country, by UN Photo/Manuel Elías

According to Ms. Keita, UN peacekeepers and the Mission proceed to enactment the Armed Forces in the extortion of civilians and the neutralization of equipped groups.  

In May, the Congolese authorities declared a authorities of siege successful the provinces of Ituri and North Kivu, whose duration has conscionable been extended for the 13th time. 

Given the difficulties of implementing it, the Defence and Security Committee of the National Assembly, carried retired an appraisal of the decision and made recommendations to the Government. 

Ms. Keita saluted this “constructive and antiauthoritarian approach” and called the consultations that followed it “a measurement successful the close direction.” 

For her, the challenges facing the Government successful implementing the authorities of siege highlight “the limits of a strictly subject attack to the extortion of civilians and the neutralization of equipped groups.” 

In fact, the play of the authorities of siege saw a 10 per cent increase successful the fig of violations and abuses of quality rights successful the country.  

Humanitarian needs 

According to the Special Representative, the humanitarian concern continues to deteriorate successful the restive east, owed to insecurity, epidemics, and limited entree to basal services. 

The fig of internally displaced radical stands astatine astir 6 million, of which 51 per cent are women. This is the highest fig of internally displaced people in Africa.  

Ms. Keita reiterated the entreaty to planetary partners and donors to redouble their support for the Humanitarian Response Plan. So far, the plan is only funded astatine 34 per cent.  

Ms. Keita also informed that the modulation plan for drawdown of MONUSCO is making progress. The adjacent measurement is the drawdown from the state of Tanganyika successful mid-2022. 

The Special Representative pointed retired the amerciable exploitation of earthy resources as “a large operator of conflict”, saying it must be addressed, and commended President Tshisekedi’s involution astatine the COP26 Summit, wherever he committed to combat deforestation successful the Congo Basin rainforest and reduce greenhouse state emissions by 21 per cent, by 2030.  

Elections pending 

Looking ahead, Ms. Keita highlighted the value of the elections scheduled for 2023, urging all governmental stakeholders to focus on key reforms needed to consolidate the hard-won stabilization gains and flooded continuing challenges. 

In this regard, she saluted the efforts to find an statement connected the leadership of the National Electoral Commission, known as CENI. 

She besides argued that a national statement connected the betterment of the electoral instrumentality volition be “absolutely critical” to hold a peaceful and credible electoral process.