Last December, the UN Security Council resolved to prolong the mandate of MONUSCO, the UN mission in the DR Congo (DRC), until December 20, 2024.
The resolution also set forth plans to begin the mission's "gradual, responsible, and sustainable withdrawal" from the country, with a phased transfer of responsibilities to the Congolese authorities.
MONUSCO will not be exiting the country by the end of December 2024, contrary to rumours, media reported, citing Jean-Pierre Lacroix, UN Undersecretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations.
"I dispel this rumour, especially as it has never been confirmed by the authorities, ourselves, or the [UN] Security Council. We are currently in a consultation phase, and the humanitarian situation remains very worrying," Lacroix was quoted as saying.
He added that members of civil society have requested MONUSCO to stay, particularly in Ituri, where violence from armed groups remains a pressing concern.
Although MONUSCO had started withdrawing from regions such as South Kivu, where it has handed over control to the Congolese army, Congolese authorities have requested a reconsideration of the withdrawal due to escalating violence in other provinces.
However, with increasing instability in Ituri, officials are concerned about a potential "security vacuum."
Gracien Iracan, a Member of Parliament for Ituri, reportedly emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that "60% of the province is in the hands of armed groups and beyond the control of the Congolese army."
Lacroix also acknowledged progress in de-escalating violence in North Kivu but stressed that much work remains.
"We cannot say that there is zero violence, of course, as you know. So there is a lot of work to be done," he said, as cited by the media.
The MONUSCO mission was deployed in the eastern part of the DRC in 2010.
Its goal is to help the Congolese government's efforts to stabilize the region, but it has faced violent protests in recent years amid concerns that it has not done enough to stop the bloodshed.
