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MONUSCO Starts Pullout, Giving DRC Police Control of First UN Base

10:30, 29 February 2024

Christina Glazkova

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The MONUSCO mission was deployed to the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2010. Its goal was to help the Congolese government's efforts to stabilize the region. However, it has been the target of violent protests in recent years over concerns that it hasn't done enough to put an end to the violence in the country.

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The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), MONUSCO, started its withdrawal on Wednesday by officially handing over the first of its bases in South Kivu (eastern DRC), according to the UN.

Today, MONUSCO handed over a first base to the government of DRC as part of the mission's disengagement plan from South Kivu. The base will now be managed by the Congolese National Police, the UN posted on X.

The head of the mission, Bintou Keita, commended the dedication of peacekeepers who endeavored to safeguard citizens.

Kinshasa requested the withdrawal of MONUSCO after 25 years in the country. The United Nations Security Council formalized the request in December, while expressing concern about the increasing violence in eastern Congo.

Congolese authorities, however, considered the force ineffective. The mission has been unable to stop the bloodshed, and thus it has been attacked several times in recent years.