Bunia, 10 October 2025 – After two weeks of intensive exercises, 120 members of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) completed, on Friday 10 October 2025, a specialized training course conducted by the MONUSCO Force in Bunia. The training, led by the Blue Helmets of MONUSCO’s North Sector, was designed to strengthen the technical and operational skills of Congolese troops deployed in Ituri, a province still facing the threat of armed groups.

Building skills for real-world challenges

From 29 September to 10 October, participants attended several modules on telecommunications, GPS, drone operation and computer literacy delivered by Bangladeshi instructors. They also received first-aid and paramedical training under the supervision of the Moroccan contingent, as well as instruction on mortar and machine-gun handling provided by the Indonesian and Bangladeshi contingents.

These sessions helped FARDC soldiers gain practical skills to respond more effectively to operational challenges in the field. During the closing ceremony, the trainees demonstrated the techniques learned, in the presence of local authorities and UN officials.

« The threat continues, so training must continue »

The Military Governor of Ituri, Lieutenant-General Johnny Luboya Nkashama, paid tribute to the MONUSCO instructors and commended the commitment of the Congolese troops:

“The threat continues, so for us, as soldiers, training must also continue. We operate in an active combat zone where large-scale operations are ongoing against the enemy. In this fight, we are not alone. We have strong partners providing training to our troops. That is why I would like to thank MONUSCO and the Moroccan, Nepalese, Bangladeshi and Indonesian contingents for their commitment. When these trainings began, our troops still had many limitations. Thanks to their support, we have made progress, gained professionalism, and are now better equipped to defend our territory.”

The Governor also emphasized the importance of sharing knowledge within the national forces:

“I am proud of our recruits, who have shown that they have absorbed the lessons well. Our partners will leave one day, but before that, we must take full advantage of their professionalism and expertise. These contingents are well trained, disciplined and courageous.”

Consolidating peace through local capacity building

For the Commander of MONUSCO’s North Sector, Brigadier-General Md Saiful Alam Bhuiyan, the initiative serves a dual purpose: to build the capacity of Congolese forces and to enable them to apply these skills independently and sustainably.

“Capacity-building is an integral part of our mandate, and MONUSCO remains committed to this effort. This time, at the request of the Governor of Ituri and in a security context that has become more concerning due to renewed armed-group activity, we are progressively conducting training for nearly 1,000 FARDC soldiers.”

More than 600 additional soldiers have begun a new training session at the Diango site, about ten kilometres from Bunia, focusing on rocket-launcher operation with the Nepalese contingent.

Over the past year, MONUSCO has trained more than 1,600 Congolese soldiers in areas such as combat, weapons handling, international humanitarian law, logistics, communication, health and military discipline. Conducted in close partnership with the Congolese authorities, these initiatives aim to build lasting skills that contribute to peace and stability in the province.