On December 18 and 19, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organized a workshop in Bunia aimed at strengthening the consultation framework for justice support actors in Ituri. This meeting aimed to make the fight against impunity for serious crimes in the province more effective.

The consultation framework, explains Désiré Balume of MONUSCO's Justice Support Section, constitutes "a space for exchanges and coordination of support from partners engaged in the fight against impunity for serious crimes, including crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide crimes." These violations concern, among others, attacks against civilian populations, sexual violence, assassinations, looting, and damage to non-military infrastructure.

Harmonizing interventions

One of the major challenges of this framework is to avoid fragmented or uncoordinated interventions that could reduce the impact of actions taken in favor of justice.

In total, twenty-seven participants took part in the workshop, including civil and military magistrates, representatives from MONUSCO, the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office, the NGO Lawyers Without Borders, the National Victims' Compensation Fund (FONAREV), UNDP, as well as national institutions and local civil society organizations.

The opening ceremony, co-chaired by the Chief President of the Ituri Military Court and the representative of the MONUSCO Bureau Chief, emphasized the need to clarify the mandates of different actors, strengthen collaboration, and optimize the judicial response to serious crimes.

Persistent challenges

The exchanges identified several major constraints, including persistent insecurity in certain areas of the province, difficulties accessing territories under the control of armed groups, as well as insufficient logistical, human, and financial resources.

For Colonel Kelly Akelele, Chief President of the Ituri Military Court, "strengthening the consultation framework for justice support actors means strengthening the fight against impunity for crimes against peace and security of humanity in Ituri province."

The workshop also marked the integration of civil justice authorities, the Court of Appeal, and the General Prosecutor's Office of Ituri into the consultation framework. This development represents an important advance in improving coordination of efforts, previously limited by the absence of these key institutions.

A renewed commitment

At the end of the proceedings, all participants reaffirmed their commitment to pooling available resources to support Congolese justice.

"We have a duty to respond to the needs of our Congolese justice partners for the restoration of peace in the province. Within the limits of our respective mandates, we commit to mobilizing and pooling our intervention resources to strengthen the effectiveness and proper functioning of justice in Ituri," declared Désiré Balume.

Co-financed by MONUSCO and UNDP, this workshop is part of the Mission's efforts to harmonize the action of technical and financial partners, with a view to a more effective fight against impunity and better protection of civilians in Ituri.