In Lubumbashi, capital of Katanga province, a youth movement offered a trophy of merit to Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General in the DR Congo, and to Mary Robinson, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the Great Lakes, for their efforts toward peace in the country and the region.

The Dynamic Youth Movement for Development (MJDD, Mouvement des jeunes dynamiques pour le développement) in Katanga province offered this trophy to these UN officials in recognition of the commitment and efforts of the United Nations as a whole towards restoring peace in the DRC and pacifying the Great Lakes region.

The two trophies are each composed of a disc made of copper and embossed with the United Nations logo superimposed with a DRC map, the whole standing on a wood base inscribed with the recipient’s name. They were received by Patrick Garba, interim head of MONUSCO’s office in Lubumbashi, on behalf of the two laureates.

This was in a ceremony held on the margins of an international youth conference initiated by the MJDD and held in Lubumbashi from 21 to 23 April, where the main theme was “Young people’s contribution to the restoration of peace, security, equality, national cohesion and African unity.”

The conference brought together representatives of youth movements from eight African countries including the DRC, South Africa, Cameroon, Côte d’ivoire, Senegal, Togo, Uganda and Zambia. The Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework for the DRC and the region; compliance with democratic standards to prevent electoral conflicts; combating acts of violence; the role of media in peace consolidation and the integration of a gender perspective in any activity were among other important issues discussed during this conference.

MONUSCO/Jean Ngandu