United Nations Urges Security Guarantees for Ceasefire Monitoring in DR Congo. Kinshasa, DR Congo — The United Nations has called for “security guarantees “from the warring parties in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to enable its peacekeeping forces to monitor a planned ceasefire. This request comes in the wake of the signing of a peace deal between the Congolese government and the Rwanda-backed M23 rebel group in December. “.
We won’t send our helicopters flying with our personnel when there are risks of jamming, as has happened, risks of drones in the immediate vicinity of our helicopters, and so on, “said UN deputy secretary-general, Jean-Pierre Lacroix.
The Congolese army has been engaged in conflict with various armed groups in the mineral — rich east of the country for decades, with the situation escalating last year when the M23 rebels captured the key city of Goma.
The ceasefire agreement, brokered by the United States, provides for the United Nations mission in DRC, (MONUSCO), to monitor events on the ground to implement a more permanent ceasefire.
However, Lacroix emphasized that “we are not yet, and far from it, in a situation where there is an effective ceasefire in the East.”
The UN mission is expected to be deployed in the coming weeks from Uvira, on the Burundi border, which was seized by the M23 in December before withdrawing under U. S.
Pressure.
Lacroix outlined the deployment plan, stating, “First, we will need aerial reconnaissance, then deploy a limited number of personnel on the ground in Uvira and then possibly deploy a more substantial presence.”
The need for Goma airport to be reopened has been requested by aid workers operating in the area, with nearly 8,000 UN peacekeepers currently deployed in eastern DRC, including contingents from various countries.
The request for security guarantees reflects the cautious approach of the United Nations to the ongoing peace efforts in the region.
The situation in the DRC’s troubled eastern region remains tense, with hopes pinned on the recent ceasefire agreement to bring an end to the conflict and allow for a period of stability and reconstruction. Further details are expected as the UN mission prepares for deployment and monitors the ceasefire situation.
The security guarantees are seen as a critical step towards ensuring the safety of UN personnel and the effectiveness of the monitoring process.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 5*
