As the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) transforms into a stabilization force, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has stressed that the world body’s main priority of protecting civilians will continue, according to UN News Centre.
Last month, the Security Council passed a resolution authorizing the withdrawal of up to 2,000 UN military personnel – from an existing strength of 19,815 – by today from areas where security has improved enough to allow their removal.
The UN mission, currently known as MONUC, will be known starting tomorrow as the UN Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) and will stay in the country only until 30 June 2011.
Despite its new name, “this is not a new mission,” but rather a reflection of the Council’s recognition of the new phase which the DRC has entered, Mr. Ban told the UN-sponsored Radio Okapi station Tuesday in the capital, Kinshasa.
