Kinshahsa: The mission of the UN in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is entering its "final phase," according to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who also cautioned that the situation there has "deteriorated sharply."
Guterres gave a sobering assessment of the unrest in the DRC in a report to the UN Security Council and outlined a plan for the "accelerated and responsible withdrawal" of the UN's MONUSCO mission after nearly 25 years in the nation.
In a 15-page report released on Thursday, it was noted that there had been an increase in regional tensions and a worsening humanitarian crisis over the previous year, with "hundreds of thousands of civilians being forcibly displaced."
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The report also stated that "sexual abuse of children more than doubled from 2021 to 2022." Approximately four million people, or 28 and 39 percent of the population, respectively, are displaced in the eastern provinces of North Kivu and Ituri, which are the two regions most severely impacted by the violence.
The M23 rebel group's resurgence, which it claimed has "seized large swathes" of territory, is at the centre of these conflicts.
According to the report, the rebels have "created parallel, illegal administrations" and engaged in "arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial executions."
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Contrary to recent reports by the UN Group of Experts on the DRC, which prompted many nations to denounce Rwanda for its involvement in the conflict, the document made no mention of Rwandan troops being present alongside the M23 on Congolese soil.
A source of tension and populist rhetoric in the DRC, the final departure of the UN mission has been at the centre of discussions about the country's future for years.
According to Guterres, "MONUSCO continues to be a focal point of popular discontent and frustration over its perceived inaction."
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The UN reiterated its willingness to withdraw MONUSCO in accordance with the government of the DRC's stated wishes, but it cautioned that "a premature withdrawal... would have consequences for the civilians relying on the Mission for their protection and safety."
Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi stated to France 24 in September 2022 that he did not see a need for MONUSCO to continue after the December 2023 presidential election, in which he will be seeking reelection