Across the world, the international community celebrates United Nations Day as a symbol of solidarity and cooperation among nations. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ceremonies were held in Ituri and North Kivu to mark this year’s commemoration, observed on 24 October. Local authorities took the opportunity to highlight the continued engagement of the United Nations alongside the Congolese population, eighty years after the UN Charter entered into force.

In Beni, the temporary provincial capital of North Kivu since the occupation of Goma by M23 rebels, local authorities emphasized the joint efforts undertaken with the United Nations in the areas of security, humanitarian assistance, health, education, and local development.
In neighbouring Ituri province, the governor also praised MONUSCO’s contribution to the stabilization of a region long affected by the activities of armed groups.

During the ceremony held at MONUSCO’s Mavivi base, the Deputy Governor of North Kivu, Police Commissioner Louis Segond Karawa, paid tribute to the work accomplished by the United Nations alongside the Congolese people. “I pay tribute to all peacekeepers, men and women, who serve here at the risk of their lives. Their presence is a powerful symbol of solidarity with our population,” he said.

A showcase of UN actions in the region

Ali Garba, Acting Head of MONUSCO’s Sub-Office in Beni, called for renewed collective commitment to peace. “We must say no to war, but also actively participate in building peace. This year’s theme, ‘Building Our Future Together’, cannot be achieved without peace,” he stressed. After the official ceremony, an exhibition allowed visitors to discover the many interventions carried out by MONUSCO and UN agencies in the territories of Beni, Butembo and Lubero.

In Bunia, the provincial governor, Major General Johnny Luboya Nkashama, commended the interventions of peacekeepers and UN agencies, which have enabled thousands of displaced persons to return to their home villages in the territories of Djugu and Mahagi after years of insecurity.

For several years, the activities of armed groups had forced entire communities to flee their localities. Today, improved stability in some areas has allowed displaced families to return home and resume agricultural and economic activities.

The locality of Amee, in Mahagi territory, is a clear illustration of this renewed dynamic. More than 20,000 people have returned to their villages over the past three years.

“MONUSCO has done a lot in our area, first to ensure the security of the population and their property, and then to support development by building at least five bridges, rehabilitating roads, and installing public lighting in the center of Amee. All these efforts have reconnected our community with three neighbouring groupings (Mbr’bu, Nioka and Ugwero) that had been cut off due to the poor state of infrastructure,” said the local chief.

Reviving agricultural activities

In the Mbr’bu grouping, also in Ituri, agricultural recovery is tangible. Annual production now exceeds ten tons of maize, beans and coffee.

The president of the local traders’ federation shared his satisfaction: “Since MONUSCO’s deployment in our area, insecurity has decreased. All neighborhoods and fields had been abandoned, and we could no longer cultivate. Now, security has returned. We can go to our fields without fear and, in case of attack, the peacekeepers intervene quickly and conduct daily patrols. Their presence has also encouraged the creation of community farms near their base.”

These efforts have also strengthened social cohesion among communities long divided by conflict.

The governor welcomed these advances: “Where there was no life, you can now see life again. I am sure that without them we would have faced many more difficulties. The results are visible. Over the past four years, we have worked closely with MONUSCO, and thanks to this collaboration, life has returned to areas that were once abandoned. I’m referring to National Road 27: when you reach Kabarole, go up to Nyakunde, then to Boga, Tchabi, Amee, Ngote, and even Djalasiga… We are very satisfied. And the displaced people are still being supported today,” he recalled.

He also paid tribute to UN agencies such as WFP, UNHCR, UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF and WHO, acknowledging their “tremendous sacrifice” and ongoing commitment to the most vulnerable communities.