UN Security Council Authorizes Resolution to Enhance MONUSCO’s Assistance in DRC

In a unanimous decision, the United Nations Security Council has authorized a resolution to enhance the assistance of the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) to the Southern African Development Community Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (SAMIDRC). The resolution aims to improve coordination, information sharing, and technical assistance between the two missions.

The initiative for the resolution came from Sierra Leone and France, with Nathalie Estival-Broadhurst, Deputy Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations, outlining the key aspects of the peacekeeping mission. According to Estival-Broadhurst, the UN mission is prepared to deliver technical support for the protection of civilians, facilitate logistical aid for medical evacuations, and share information to combat violence in eastern DRC.

Michael Imran Kanu, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the United Nations, emphasized the importance of dialogue in settling disputes between conflicting parties in the DRC. The resolution also seeks to create a conducive environment for the implementation of ongoing regional peace efforts, including welcoming the recent ceasefire agreement brokered by Angola between the governments of the DRC and Rwanda.

The "A3 plus one" coalition, comprising Algeria, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, and Guyana, has shown its support for the AU Peace and Security Council (AUPSC) alongside France and Sierra Leone as co-penholders.

The resolution is a crucial step in enhancing international initiatives to combat violence in the eastern DRC and promoting peace and stability in the region.