Kinshasa, 22 August 2011: Congolese authorities yesterday evening thwarted an attempt to smuggle approximately one ton of cassiterite ore from the DRC to Rwanda. The attempt was reportedly made by a national staff member of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), who was stopped in a UN vehicle at the Goma – Gisenyi border crossing point.

MONUSCO is fully cooperating with and supporting the national authorities in the investigation of this incident. The Mission has also launched its own investigation into what appears to be a serious breach of its ethics, rules and regulations.

Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of MONUSCO, Roger Meece, stressed that the illegal exploitation and smuggling of natural resources from the DRC are serious crimes, the prevention of which MONUSCO is tasked with and committed to support. He went on to say that any allegation of a member of its staff being implicated in such illegal activities will be fully investigated and appropriate action taken in full cooperation with the Congolese authorities.