In a surprising turn of events, the U.N. peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo has announced a pause in its withdrawal process, with no specific timeline set for the next phase after completing the initial phase in June. President Felix Tshisekedi had originally requested an expedited withdrawal of peacekeepers deployed to address the country’s security issues caused by armed groups.
The completion of the first phase in South Kivu province was delayed until June 25, despite being scheduled for April. Congo’s ambassador to the United Nations, Zenon Mukongo Ngay, attributed the delay to escalating clashes in the east of the country, blaming Rwanda for their continued aggression.
Despite accusations from Congo and the U.N. that Rwanda supports the M23 rebel group, Kigali has denied any involvement. Bintou Keita, head of the U.N. mission, emphasized that there is currently no timeline for withdrawing from North Kivu or Ituri provinces, highlighting the need to assess conditions on the ground before proceeding.
Congo’s Foreign Minister, Therese Wamba Wagner, expressed the government’s desire to avoid creating a security vacuum and emphasized the importance of waiting for favorable conditions before continuing the withdrawal process.
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