Goma, Sunday, 22 February - MONUSCO Staff in Goma organized a Farewell Diner in honor of Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General in charge of Operations in the Eastern Region, General Abdullah Wafy, on the occasion of his departure from MONUSCO.

The farewell dinner took place at the MONUSCO Amani Caferteria in TMK Goma in the presence of staff members, the Governor of North-Kivu Julien Paluku, the Mayor and other government dignitaries as well as the Press..

The occasion was marked by several speeches by, among others, MONUSCO Senior Management, National staff representative, directors, section chiefs, deputy Force Commander, director of Administration, Mission Support, UNPOL Commander, North-Kivu Governor and PNC deputy Commander who unanimously portrayed the DSRSG Wafy as a very hard working professional, colleague and leader who will be difficult to replace in the mission.

MONUSCO Special Representative SRSG Kobler was represented by his chief of staff Ian Sinclair who said: “I am sorry to see you leaving, your absence will be difficult to fill” You have shown us great leadership especially in bringing Operations to the East,“ adding, “I have learned some of your skills on running the mission, You have supported the people of DRC in their quest to regain peace.” It is a loss where somebody else has gained. I don’t doubt you will make an impact in New York.” As you will be in New York, Keep an eye on the mission and DR Congo” .I wish you the best of luck.

Another speaker who testified on the professional and leadership qualities of General Wafy was Governor Julien Paluku of North Kivu who said “ I lack words to express myself. “When I knew you, I thought you were Congolese because of the interest you had in improving the skills of the PNC; indeed we have come a long way from the “Brassage to the “Mixage” processes; You used to say: “Soldiers should not act like Police” As an architect of such an ideology, you undertook to facilitate the training of the PNC, in light of the UN mandate and to accompany the Government in their quest for peace and good governance.. We regret that you are leaving us, but as a permanent representative in New York I have no doubt that you will influence decisions for DRC“. I Presume therefore that DR Congo has now two permanent representatives in the United Nations “Governor Paluku concluded with a declaration of recognition of General Wafy as a citizen of North-Kivu.

Responding to all the testimonies in his favor, General Abdallah Wafy said he was touched by all the nice words used by all the speakers. He thanked all of them for their support that was instrumental in his successful mission to restore peace in DR Congo for about 6 years of Service as UNPOL Commissioner and DSRSG Rule of Law. He called on all the administrators and colleagues to continue working in an enabling environment to fulfill their mandate to stabilize not only DRC as a country, but also the Great Lake region and Africa as a whole. DSRSG Wafy assured the governor that MONUSCO and the International community will continue to protect and support the country to eradicate the negative forces which have inflicted pain and suffering to them for the past 20 years.

The Farewell party was spiced with lots of surprises which highlighted the occasion.
They included a video recording of testimonies by staff members including his administrative personnel, DMS, DFC, FC and SRSG Kobler, symbolic gifts, dinner prepared by the Indian, Bangladeshi and Uruguayan contingents and Amani Cafeteria TMK. The dinner ended with dancing with music performed by an orchestra from Goma
It should be noted that prior to the dinner party DSRSG Abdallah Wafy, convened in a retreat in Goma for MONUSCO heads of offices, sub-offices and brigade commanders based in the east to discuss strategies to improve performance.

He also met with the NK Governor in Goma who handed him an honorary diploma in recognition of his successful work in North Kivu and the DRC especially on the security sector reforms and the DDRRR process involving the voluntary disarmament process which began in May 30 2014 and resulted in the transfer of DLR ex-combatants from Kanyabayonga to the camp Bahuma in Kisangani

Martha Biongo PIO Goma.