The United Nations Stabilization Mission in Congo (MONUSCO) officially transferred its Kamanyola base (Uvira territory) to the Congolese authorities on Wednesday.
This operation is part of the process of its orderly disengagement agreed with the Congolese government.
“We hope that the handover of Kamanyola, combined with the ongoing construction of the Congolese National Police Sub-Commissariat by MONUSCO, will serve as a model and inspiration for the rest of the MONUSCO disengagement process,” Bintou said.
Keita is the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the DRC.
Ms. Keita “congratulates the Congolese authorities for the reinforcement of the Congolese National Police in Kamanyola, in accordance with the commitments made by the Government, in order to increase the power and capacity of the Defense and Security Forces, in parallel with the disengagement of MONUSCO”.
The MONUSCO base was built in Kamanyola 19 years ago with the aim of ensuring “the protection of civilians and the security of the populations of the area”. The Pakistani contingent worked there for 19 years.
“The contribution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, a troop-contributing country, engaged for several decades within MONUSCO, to the consolidation of peace in the DRC, is admirable,” said Bintou Keita.
“I would like to honor their dedication and thank them for the excellence of the services rendered to the population of Kamanyola and to the United Nations.”
According to the disengagement plan signed between MONUSCO and the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the first total withdrawal from the province of South Kivu is planned by the end of April 2024.
From May 1, 2024 , MONUSCO will focus on North Kivu and Ituri with regard to the protection of civilians.
For South Kivu, the protection of civilians will be the responsibility of the DRC, Bintou Keita said during a press conference with Christophe Lutundula adding that after its withdrawal from South Kivu, there will be an assessment of the first stage of disengagement before embarking on the second stage which provides for a withdrawal of the mission from the province of North Kivu.
The third stage, according to Bintou Keita, will begin after the completion of the 2nd stage and its evaluation, and will lead to the complete withdrawal from the province of Ituri.
During his last visit to the DRC, Jean-Pierre Lacroix number 2 of the UN reassured that the departure of MONUSCO did not mean the departure of the United Nations in the DRC.
According to him, the UN, through its agencies and programs, will continue to operate normally while reassuring them to carry out pleadings with the various donors to ensure their functioning.
