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MONUSCO, the United Nations mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is reducing its peacekeeping forces in the country. 764 jobs will be cut and eight offices closed.
MONUSCO, United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is reducing its peacekeeping mission in the country. 764 jobs will be cut and eight offices closed. The next phase will examine the overall exit strategy of MONUSCO from the DRC.
MONUSCO is the largest United Nations peacekeeping operation with a 20,000-strong mission operating in the Democratic Republic of the Congo for 20 years.
Its budget for 2019/2020, which will come into effect on July 1, will face new cuts. The current budget is over $ 1 billion and the downsizing plan is seen as a precautionary measure to anticipate future budget cuts.
In January, Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres warned that nearly $ 2 billion in UN contributions remained unpaid. Meanwhile, under the Trump government, the United States – the largest UN donor – announced in December that it was reducing its contribution to the UN's $ 6.7 billion peacekeeping budget. from 28.5 to 25%.
US Councilor for National Security, John Bolton, said that "the United States will no longer provide blind badistance" to the entire continent of Africa.
"We will no longer support the United Nations peacekeeping missions that are unproductive, fruitless and irresponsible. We want something more to show for the hard-earned taxpayer money of Americans, "said Bolton in December 2018.
Rationalizing MONUSCO
The new downsizing plans announced on April 22 by Leila Zerrougui, head of MONUSCOshould be completed by the end of June, before the new United Nations exercise.
The 764 job cuts will not affect military personnel but will mainly concern Congolese civilians.
Eight offices will be closed in Dungu, Mbandaka, Bandundu, Kamina, Matadi, Mbuji-Mayi, as well as Kisangani and Lubumbashi.
The security situation remains very unstable in Lubumbashi, but a UN peacekeeping spokesman told RFI that "the eventual closure of an office does not mean that it is not safe for them. UN will stop covering the area.
For Stephanie WoltersHead of the Peace and Security Program at the Institute for Security Studies, MONUSCO's project to close offices is expected to influence the security landscape in the DRC.
The UN told RFI that there are "warning mechanisms" and military and civilian teams that can be deployed on a temporary basis in the event of an announcement or development of a crisis.
"For example, last week, about 15 temporary teams were deployed throughout the country, including in areas where we had no permanent presence," added a spokesman for the UN peacekeeping forces. 'UN.
Wolters believes that MONUSCO's decision to close offices will result in a change in the balance of power between the different armed groups operating in the east of the vast country. What remains uncertain, she added, is how they could choose to regroup.
DRC leaders want an exit plan
Former President Joseph Kabila, who according to Wolters, has a difficult, often hostile relationship with MONUSCO, has repeatedly called upon the departure of the UN mission.
President Felix Tshisekedi, too, supports a withdrawal plan, but he also supports a "better armed" MONUSCO and offered to cooperate with the UN. Wolters thinks that Tshisekedi was referring to MONUSCO's inability to cope with the many military challenges that raged in eastern DRC.
"Tshisekedi has attempted to pacify a very volatile region of eastern DRC, where we have up to 120 different armed groups of different sizes and ethnic groups of different motivations," Wolters said.
After 20 years on the ground and thanks to its military strength, MONUSCO has not achieved some of its key objectives.
"MONUSCO has not been able to prevent some cities from falling under the control of armed groups and has failed to end the insecurity caused by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the regions. from Beni and Butembo. [in the North Kivu province]"Wolters said.
But again, MONUSCO operates in Congo, a vast country that is both "post-conflict and also very conflictual".
"It's very difficult to measure success and achievements," Wolters added.
Leave the DRC
In March, the United Nations Security Council decided to extend the mandate of MONUSCO until 20 December 2019 to allow time for the conclusion of a withdrawal agreement.
The board unanimously adopted a resolution written in French which asked Secretary-General Guterres to present a strategic review, by October at the latest, on a "gradual, progressive and comprehensive exit strategy".
For Wolters, the measures announced by the head of the mission earlier this week represent the first phase of DRC's MONUSCO exit strategy.
"MONUSCO is very tired," she says. But the withdrawal of such a gigantic presence will have dramatic consequences The departure of a mission of this magnitude is more than likely to "create many repercussions on the Congolese economy.
"MONUSCO has been an important employer and consumer for many years, with military and civilian forces present in many cities and towns," says Wolters.
It is unclear to what extent the new budget measures will affect Radio Okapi, which has been broadcasting throughout the DRC since February 2002.
"We are taking steps to ensure that Okapi Radio will continue to broadcast its programs in the closed areas of offices, "said a spokesman for the UN.
For Wolters, radio is an independent and credible voice in the DRC.
"Radio Okapi is one of the main achievements of MONUSCO. It is the largest peacekeeping radio in the United Nations and remains the only nationally-owned network radio.
"We still need Radio Okapi, one of the things that many Congolese civilians still love about MONUSCO," said Wolters.
Follow Stephanie Wolters on Twitter @wolterssteph
Follow Zeenat Hansrod on Twitter @zxnt
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