The UN Security Council just voted to keep its peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo running for another full year. They renewed the mandate for MONUSCO, which will stay active with its current force size of over eleven thousand military staff and hundreds of police. This happens while fighting gets worse in the east, mostly because of offensives by the M23 rebel group.
The resolution specifically calls out the M23's recent capture of the city of Uvira in South Kivu, calling it a major regional risk. It also directly accuses the Rwanda Defence Forces of supporting and even joining the rebel offensive. The mission's special combat unit, the Force Intervention Brigade, got renewed on what the council called an exceptional basis. The peacekeepers will keep focusing on North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
Diplomats argued about the vote under what France described as unusual circumstances, with fighting escalating during the negotiations. The US delegate said the talks were disrupted by M23 advances and demanded the rebels pull back from Uvira. China and Russia, while agreeing to the extension, warned against making the mission political, with China stating outside countries should stop trying to grab economic resources from the conflict. Russia asked for detailed plans on how the UN will monitor any ceasefires by next March.
The resolution specifically calls out the M23's recent capture of the city of Uvira in South Kivu, calling it a major regional risk. It also directly accuses the Rwanda Defence Forces of supporting and even joining the rebel offensive. The mission's special combat unit, the Force Intervention Brigade, got renewed on what the council called an exceptional basis. The peacekeepers will keep focusing on North Kivu and Ituri provinces.
Diplomats argued about the vote under what France described as unusual circumstances, with fighting escalating during the negotiations. The US delegate said the talks were disrupted by M23 advances and demanded the rebels pull back from Uvira. China and Russia, while agreeing to the extension, warned against making the mission political, with China stating outside countries should stop trying to grab economic resources from the conflict. Russia asked for detailed plans on how the UN will monitor any ceasefires by next March.
