Xinhua -- The UN Security Council (UNSC) on Tuesday extended for one year until Dec. 20, 2024, the mandate of the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO).
Resolution 2717, unanimously adopted by the 15-member council, sets out a comprehensive disengagement plan that includes three phases and the gradual handover of responsibility to the government. The new mandate follows an earlier request by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the mission's withdrawal.
The mandate includes, on an exceptional basis and without precedent to peacekeeping's basic principles, its Force Intervention Brigade. The drawdown will start by the end of 2023 amid the election cycle. The force will be withdrawn from South Kivu by the end of April 2024, and the mandate's implementation will be limited to provinces starting May 2024.
The authorized troop ceiling will be 13,500 military personnel, 660 military observers and staff officers, 591 police personnel and 1,410 personnel of formed police units until June 30, 2024, reduced to 11,500 military personnel, 600 military observers and staff officers, 443 police personnel and 1,270 personnel of assembled police units from July 1, 2024, onwards.
The wide-ranging text establishes MONUSCO's strategic priorities as contributing to protecting civilians and supporting the stabilization and strengthening of state institutions and key governance and security reforms.
It denotes the tasks in priority order, including protecting civilians under threat of physical violence by all necessary measures and deterring and targeted offensive operations against armed groups, either unilaterally or jointly with the Congolese security forces. MONUSCO is requested to work with the government and humanitarian workers to identify threats to civilians and implement joint prevention and response plans.
MONUSCO is also requested to support the judicial system's capacity to investigate and prosecute those allegedly responsible for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and violations of international humanitarian law.
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