The head of the UN peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) arrived in Goma on Friday. The provincial capital of North Kivu is under the control of the Rwandan-backed M23 armed group, and James Swan came to assess progress on the peace agreements.
“We welcomed the progress made towards the signing of the protocol on humanitarian access and judicial protection, and encouraged the parties to respect their commitments so that this agreement can be concluded quickly, with the aim of ending the suffering of civilian populations affected by the conflict,” said James Swan, head of MONUSCO.
"We welcomed the progress towards the signing of the protocol on humanitarian access and judicial protection and encouraged the parties to respect their commitments in order to conclude this agreement quickly, with a view to ending the suffering of civilian populations affected by the conflict," he added.
As part of his first tour of the east of the country since his appointment, the head of MONUSCO previously stayed in Beni, Eringeti in the Great North, and Bunia, Fataki in the province of Ituri.
"Monitoring the ceasefire requires that a number of essential conditions be met in order to allow the Joint Verification Mechanism to function credibly, safely and effectively," said the head of MONUSCO.
"Monitoring the ceasefire requires that a number of essential conditions be met in order to allow the expanded joint verification mechanism to operate credibly, securely and effectively," he adds.
The UN diplomat recalled the recommendations of the latest peace agreements in favor of a ceasefire and the free movement of humanitarian personnel.
“These conditions include the cessation of the use of offensive drones, an end to the jamming and diversion of GPS signals, full freedom of movement for MONUSCO personnel and assets, as well as access to airports and airspace,” Mr. Swan declared.
James Swan arrives a week after talks held in Montreux between the government and Congolese rebels as part of the Doha process, facilitated by Qatar, the United States and the African Union.
According to the UN diplomat, the city of Goma occupies a central place in current efforts to de-escalate, protect civilians and support the ongoing peace process.
