By Chris Muhizi for MCN Tuesday June 27th/2023.
It would be inappropriate to remove UN forces from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) before the elections in December, Kinshasa recommended, the United States said on Monday.
“A precipitous withdrawal of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Monusco) would likely leave a security vacuum that state authorities are unable to fill,” said Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood, who also added that it would encourage armed groups to engage in more activity.
Wood addressed the UN Security Council during a discussion about the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo at a time when protesters and government representatives are urging the organization’s missions across the continent to leave.
“As we have frequently stated, Monusco cannot and should not remain in the DRC indefinitely”.
Broadly speaking, however, it is acknowledged that by the end of 2023, the DRC government will not have achieved the standards that it set as the minimal requirements for Monusco’s drawdown.
According to the EastAfrican plan for a gradual withdrawal of UN soldiers from the Democratic Republic of the Congo was agreed by the Security Council in 2020, which established guidelines for handing over responsibility to Congolese military.
Monusco, in result since 1999, is one of the most significant and expensive operations ever carried out by the UN.
A pullout after the general elections in December has been proposed by Kinshasa.
Locals have criticized the UN presence in the formerly-Zaire as armed group conflict continued to roil the region’s resource-rich east.
Monusco has been the target of violent demonstrations after being accused of failing to safeguard residents.