This decision by the Congolese government follows many events that have
further deteriorated relations between the UN and the DRC.
On Monday July 25, Goma was the scene of a demonstration which quickly turned into
looting of UN premises, triggered by the discontent of the Congolese people who accuse
the institution of inefficiency in its fight against the armed forces in the east of the country.
The demonstrators after going to the UN headquarters, burned tires and plastic in front of the gate, before climbing and vandalizing the enclosure, found a AFP correspondent. They then broke windows, walls and looted computers, chairs, tables and other valuables.
The UN police used tear gas canisters to disperse the demonstrators, before
the intervention of the Congolese armed forces. Several demonstrators were arrested.
“Monusco strongly denounces the attack on its premises in Goma […] perpetrated by a group of looters on the sidelines of a demonstration which, moreover, was banned by the mayor”, writes the mission in a statement, saying it was “very concerned about this very serious incident which is taking place in day after hostile remarks and undisguised threats issued by individuals and groups against the United Nations”.
Recall that during a meeting on July 15, 2022 in Goma, the President of the Senate, Modeste Bahati, had asked Monusco to “pack up” after twenty-two years of a presence that failed to restore peace in eastern DRC, which has been destabilized for almost three decades.
Present in the DRC since 1999, Monuc (UN Mission in Congo), which became Monusco
(UN Mission for Stabilization in the DRC) with the evolution of its mandate in 2010, is
considered one of the largest and costliest UN missions in the world, with an annual budget of one billion dollars. The mission currently has over 14,000 troops Peace.
Based on comments made during an interview with RFI a few weeks ago by the word of the UN Mathias Gilmann, who had indicated that Monusco did not have enough means to fight the rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23), the Congolese government has asked the United Nations for the departure of its spokesman.
“The government will appreciate (…) very much that arrangements are made for Mathias
Gillmann leaves Congolese territory as soon as possible,” wrote the Congolese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Christophe Lutundula, to the head of the Mission of the United Nations for Stabilization in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Monusco). “The presence of this official on the national territory is not likely to promote a climate of mutual trust
and serenity so essential between the Congolese institutions and MONUSCO,” explained
Mr. Lutundula.
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