DRC’s President orders UN forces in his country to leave

President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has pushed for the United Nations military in his country to begin withdrawing this year.

This systematic withdrawal, he told the UN General Assembly on Wednesday, would begin in December 2024 but would begin in December 2023 if his administration could start discussions with the UN.

Mr. Tshisekedi claimed that after 25 years of existence, the mission known by its name Monusco had failed to deliver peace to the country and that it was “illusory and counterproductive to continue to cling” to the force in order to keep the peace.

He told the New York crowd, “It is time for our country to take full control of its destiny and become the main actor in its own stability.”

Almost 18,000 people, including more than 12,000 troops, are stationed in the nation as part of Monusco, making it the second-largest UN mission in the world.

However, it has grown less well-liked over time and has been the target of many demonstrations in the past year alone.

Many rebel groups have operated in the mineral-rich east of the country for decades, and the civilian population has been attacked repeatedly during that time.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo is planning elections for late December. As a result of the demonstrations against the United Nations, it was decided that the departure of the force would begin the next month.

Although it has also been criticised, the East African force that was sent to eastern DR Congo last year to assist the Congolese military in quelling conflict has also come under fire.