Democratic Republic of Congo President Félix Tshisekedi has demanded that the UN force begin speedy withdrawal after 25 years.
President Tshisekedi made the demand on Wednesday at the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, high-level General Debate which kicked off on Tuesday, September 19.
He told the UN General Assembly that he had told the Congolese government to commence talks with the United Nations to accelerate “the start of this progressive withdrawal from December 2024 to December 2023”.
According to Tshisekedi, the mission (also known as Monusco) failed in its primary goal to establish peace in DR Congo despite its presence in the region 25 years ago.
The president added that it was “illusory and counterproductive to continue to cling” to the force to maintain peace.
“It is time for our country to take full control of its destiny and become the main actor in its own stability,” he told his New York audience.
The mission (Monusco) has placed almost 18,000 personnel in DR Congo, including over 12,000 soldiers.
Monusco is the UN’s second-largest mission in the globe but has recently lost its popularity after several protests were made against it in 2022.
The soldiers have been accused of failing to protect Congolese civilians from various forms of attacks and violence from many rebel groups who have continued to operate in the east of the country for decades.
DR Congo is one of the richest countries in natural resources but is currently ranked among the top five poorest countries in the world.
Elections are scheduled to be conducted in DR Congo late December but the anti-UN protests have forced the government to speed up the withdrawal of the forces, moving it up to December.
An East African force was similarly deployed to the region last year to assist the Congolese Military put an end to the ongoing fighting, but has also faced condemnation . In July, 14 mourners, including nine children, were reportedly killed, according to village chairman Oscar Baraka Muguwa.
