Located in the heart of Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has been transformed into a battleground, with several African states and national armed movements fighting multiple wars concurrently. There is no denying that the DRC is a nation state beleaguered by severe armed conflict. The ongoing conflict in the country is one of the most complex and active in modern times. Since the beginning of the war, the conflict has claimed the lives of millions of civilians, led to millions of internal displacements and resulted in armed groups committing widespread abuses without the fear of repression. Many Congolese children and teenagers are routinely subjected to heinous acts and abuses committed by foreign and local armed groups, as well as the country’s defence and security forces.

The conflict has a detrimental effect on the state’s socioeconomic development. The United Nations and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) intervened in the DRC to achieve peace, security, and stability. The entire DRC peace process has been largely driven by MONUSCO, with the Congolese government participating in a combined arms operation to ensure regional peace and security. MONUSCO has been mandated to prioritize the protection of civilians, using all means at its disposal to address threats posed by armed groups and other security threats, in the context of escalating conflict in the country. Despite MONUSCO’s presence the situation in the country has not changed significantly as the DRC is still plagued by intractable conflicts and intimidations from rebel groups, particularly the M23.

Over the years, MONUSCO has received public criticism for its inaction in protecting civilians, limited success in controlling non-state armed groups, escalating violence, achieving long-term peace and sexual exploitation, which has further tarnished the missions image. Their inability to tackle these challenges prompted President Felix Tshisekedi to call for the mission’s exit after 25 years of operation, questioning its presence and effectiveness. MONUSCO is expected to completely exit the DRC by the end of 2024. Arguably, the MONUSCO mission has been operating with a government that did not fully accept its presence. Although finalized by Kinshasha and the UNSC, in truth the eastern DRC remains a humanitarian disaster zone, and the mission’s withdrawal seems inconsonant with security realities.

With more than 100 groups operating in the eastern DRC, fighting between armed groups in the region continues to escalate. Escalating tensions have led to 6.9 million internally displaced persons, and the humanitarian crisis in the DRC is considered to be one of the most complex in the world today. The situation in the region is fragile and remains a source of worry. The disengagement of MONUSCO from the DRC is a complicated and contentious matter given the security situation. What does this mean for the citizens? Without the presence of MONUSCO will the security situation not deteriorate even further? Will the Congolese army be able to fill the security vacuum?

The reality is that the decision to withdraw MONUSCO will not solve the instability in the country. The main issues facing the DRC include political instability, power struggles, human rights abuses, ethnic tensions, and resource competition among other things. These issues go beyond the capabilities of a peacekeeping mission. It is crucial to understand that instability in the DRC cannot be resolved by removing MONUSCO. The root causes need to be effectively addressed, failure to do so will plunge the country further into violence and instability after the peacekeeping mission has departed. The disengagement process is a complex issue with significant implications particularly on the civilian population. For many years the Congolese authorities have stood firm that the mission’s intervention is ineffective while the truth is, MONUSCO protects the lives of civilians in the eastern DRC given the security situation. With the mission out of the country what measures has the government of the DRC implemented to protect the civilians?

In addition, the ousting of the blue helmets will worsen the security situation as this would allow for more armed groups in the east to fight proxy wars. Has a clear plan been developed for providing security after the departure of MONUSCO? As the M23 expands its territory and activities in the eastern region, does the Congolese army have the capacity to tackle threats posed by the M23 and other armed groups? The disengagement of MONUSCO raises questions about the effectiveness of UN peacekeeping missions. The decision to withdraw despite security concerns leads to the overall question of did the UN mission fail in the DRC?

To determine a peacekeeping mission’s effectiveness, it is critical to examine its mandate and objectives, as well as current developments in the country and the mission’s actions. This allows for a better understanding of the mission’s overall outcome by determining which areas the mission was able to fulfil its mandate and which areas it was unable to achieve in mandate. The UN plays the role of third-party peacekeeping efficaciously by deploying military and civilian personnel to intervene in conflict-prone countries. Missions deployed differ in their mandates, compositions, and their scale of involvement due to the nature of the conflict. Protection of civilians and the promotion and protection of human rights has been the most important objective for MONUSCO, as laid out in each mission by the UNSC resolutions.

Reflecting on MONUSCO’s intervention, the disengagement of the mission does not insinuate that the mission failed. MONUSCO held significant importance for the DRC as the mission operated in one of the most complex conflicts in modern times. Mandated to prioritize the protection of civilians there have been contrasting views regarding MONUSCO in fully carrying out its mandate. Reflecting on the discourse around MONUSCO’s effectiveness, many argue that MONUSCO’s efforts to protect civilians demonstrated inadequateness, proving incapable of protecting civilians from attacks. It is crucial to analyse the overall context in which the mission was operating, including the involvement of different stakeholders, as well as the root causes that may have contributed to the security issues. Regardless of the numerous challenges the mission encountered, it is arguable that MONUSCO helped keep the DRC unified. The UN mission played an important role in monitoring, reporting, collecting, and sharing information pertaining to human rights violations. While the disengagement of the mission is in progress, MONUSCO’s impact in the DRC has been significant.

Considering the challenges faced by the UN peacekeeping mission, regional forces have become a more appealing option. In response to the escalating violence, SADC, a regional organisation deployed a peacekeeping mission to the DRC known as the SADC Mission in the DRC (SAMIDRC) to assist the government in maintaining peace and stability. In contrast to MONUSCO, SAMIDRC is mandated with a more offensive posture allowing for direct involvement with armed groups that pose a threat to the country’s stability. With this type of mandate, SAMIDRC will strengthen its support for the Congolese national army (FARDC) while also contributing to the restoration of peace and security.

On the other hand, MONUSCO prioritizes civilian protection, facilitating humanitarian assistance and the promotion of stability. Rather than engaging in direct military involvement, the mission seeks to establish long-term stability through discussion and democratic processes. With a more offensive mandate, SAMIDRC may give immediate tactical benefits but this approach risks escalating tensions and aggravating instability. This may result in further displacement and increased incitement of violence from armed groups, creating a cycle of reprisal and prolonged conflict.

While MONUSCO marks the end of the chapter for the UN peacekeeping mission, the UN must continue to support the DRC on its path to stability and development. The UN can accomplish this by providing humanitarian assistance, monitoring and reporting on human rights violations, and serving as a mediator in current conflicts.

Ms. Tlhompho Shikwambane is a Research Assistant at the Institute for Global Dialogue. She obtained a Masters degree in Political Science from Istanbul Sabahattin Zaim University (Turkey) and a bachelors degree in International Relations from the University of South Africa. Her key research interests include peacekeeping and foreign policy. The views expressed in this article are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of IGD