UN Mission Head Visits Eastern DR Congo, Pledges to Protect Civilians

(MENAFN) The head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) met with provincial officials Wednesday to press for dialogue, accountability and coordinated efforts to restore lasting stability across the conflict-battered eastern reaches of the country.

Addressing reporters in Bunia — the provincial capital of Ituri province — James Swan reaffirmed the UN mission's unwavering commitment to fulfilling its mandate, placing the protection of civilians from armed group violence at the top of its priorities across the volatile eastern provinces.

"Civilian populations continue to be affected by the violence of armed groups, causing massive displacement and inter-community tensions," he said.

The UN mission will continue to "ensure the direct physical protection of hundreds of thousands of displaced people in close collaboration with Congolese forces," Swan added.

He underscored the urgent need for a strengthened, coordinated response drawing in all key stakeholders — including Congolese authorities, national security forces, MONUSCO, humanitarian organizations and local communities.

Swan's remarks came during an ongoing field tour of North Kivu and Ituri provinces — two regions bearing the heaviest brunt of the violence — marking his first visit to the field since assuming his post earlier this month in the capital Kinshasa.

Robert Seninga, president of the North Kivu Provincial Assembly, warned that the threat posed by Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels — widely accused of perpetrating grave abuses against civilians across both provinces — should not be treated as a purely internal Congolese matter.

Seninga called on peacekeeping forces to step up active monitoring of the ceasefire between rebel factions and the government in eastern Congo, while ensuring robust civilian protection on the ground.

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