Recent years have seen the legitimacy of the United Nations’ MONUSCO mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) diminish significantly. A survey conducted by the Center on International Cooperation in January 2023 revealed that a staggering 67% of Congolese citizens expressed a desire for the organization to withdraw its peacekeeping efforts.
Experts in the region, Joshua Walker and Jason Stearns, highlighted the complexities surrounding the situation. In a report for CIC, they emphasized that while the withdrawal of MONUSCO might seem like a solution, it would likely solve little. “This absence of a coherent peace and stabilization process… is what should focus the attention of diplomats and government officials in the region,” they emphasized.
Even if certain armed groups, like M23, were to withdraw from eastern DRC, the experts warned that the region would still grapple with the presence of numerous other militias, some of which could potentially be even more devastating. The ongoing conflict has resulted in the displacement of as many as 7 million people, with over 120 armed groups vying for control of the region’s abundant gold and other natural resources.
As the debate over the role of MONUSCO continues and calls for withdrawal persist, the underlying issues driving conflict and instability in the DRC remain a significant challenge for both local authorities and the international community alike.
