Violence, aid access continues to obstruct humanitarian effort in DR Congo

For Bintou Keita, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Stabilization Mission in the DRC( MONUSCO ), food insecurity and cyclical epidemics are major concerns.

Attacks on schools and hospitals havealsoexacerbated humanitarian challenges in several parts of the east, particularlyIturi.

With over 5 million internally displaced people, the country has the highest number of internally displaced people on the African continent.More than 26 million Congolesealsosuffer from food insecurity,about29 percent of the population.

Addressing the Council Members, Ms. Keita urged them to increase their contributions to the 2021 Humanitarian Response Plan,thatasksfor$1.98 billion. To date, just over a quarter of the plan is funded.

Two challenges

The Special Representative highlighted two main challenges:the security and protection of civilians in the east, and the process of democratic consolidationin DRC.

On the security front, she informed that,since the declaration of a state of siege by theGovernment,in the provinces of North Kivu andIturi,MONUSCOhas redoubled its efforts to support theCongolese authorities.

Ms. Keita warned, though, that “much remains to be done, including to ensure that the human rights of the population are systematically respected in the fight against armed groups.”

For her, the promulgation on July 5 of theOrdinance on the Programmefor Disarmament, Demobilization, Community Recovery and Stabilization,represents“a great opportunity.”

She informed thatjoint military operations against theAllied Democratic Forces(ADF),haddismantledseveral of therebelgroup's strongholds,buthuman rights violations perpetrated by state and non-State actors“remain worrying.”

According to her, between June and August, 367people were victims of arbitrary and extrajudicial executions.About203 people, mostly women and children, suffered sexual violence.

She also informed that in some regions, particularly in South Kivu, inter-community conflicts arefuelledby hate speech.

“These populist and belligerent speeches are a danger to the stability of the country and should be the subject of exemplary judicial sanctions”, she argued.

Democratic consolidation

Ondemocratic consolidation, shesaidthe formation of a new Government in April“has provided an opportunity to advance on critical reforms.”

For now,the focus is the 2023 elections.Pointing to a “context of political suspicions”,Ms. Keitareiteratedthe need for“an inclusive and peaceful electoral process founded on dialogue, trust, and transparency.”

She pointed tothe renewal of MONUSCO’s mandate,saying that ajoint transition planhas been developed andconstitutes“a roadmap that can help guide the work of the Mission in the coming years and prepare the ground for its orderly and responsible withdrawal.”

She concluded asking theCouncil to continue providing its full backing to MONUSCO, by endorsing the joint transition plan, providingfinancial resources,andhavingan active role inmaking it a reality.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of UN News.