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A United Nations (UN) peacekeeping team has arrived in the DR Congo town of Uvira ahead of a ceasefire-monitoring mission.
The Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has endured three decades of conflict, leaving communities devastated and infrastructure in ruins. The region faces renewed violence following the 2021 resurgence of the M23 armed group, which analysts say receives backing from Rwanda and its military.
Civilians in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces continue to bear the brunt of attacks, with thousands displaced and humanitarian needs escalating.
The M23 seized large swathes of territory in the east and launched an offensive in December on Uvira. The United States condemned the attack and mediated a peace deal between the DRC and Rwanda.Â
The peace deal provided for MONUSCO, the UN’s DRC peacekeeping mission, to conduct a field-monitoring operation to implement a permanent ceasefire.
In a statement released on Tuesday, MONUSCO and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, a grouping of surrounding countries, said they had deployed a joint exploratory and preliminary assessment mission to Uvira, which is scheduled to run until Friday.
The UN’s DRC peacekeeping mission described it as an essential step towards deploying the future joint ceasefire‑monitoring mechanism, adding that the mission focuses on assessing access, security, logistics and engagement needs.
