Kananga, 8 May 2012 – On 28 April and 5 May 2012, the Office of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) in Kasaï Occidental, organized a round table on "Le mandat de la MONUSCO et la jeunesse dans les processus électoraux" (MONUSCO's Mandate and the Role of the Youth in the Electoral Process), in collaboration with Université Notre-Dame du Kasayi (UKA) and Université de Kananga (UNIKAN).

The purpose of this workshop, which brought together about a thousand students, was two fold: first to explain to participants the mandate of MONUSCO and its support to the Congolese population, and secondly, to help the students identify the stakes in the upcoming provincial and local elections, as well as the role they will be required to play.

Yayou Diamoutene, MONUSCO representative at this meeting, explained the historical background of the peace process, the Lusaka Agreement, which brought an end to the war and the Sun-City Agreement, which led to the reunification of the country. He also noted the efforts made by MONUSCO to assist the Congolese people in securing sustainable and lasting peace in the DRC.

"This panel discussion has cleared up the many doubts and improved people's perception of MONUSCO", the Vice-Chancellor of UNIKAN said while expressing his institution's gratitude to the UN mission,

Lansana Dabo/ MONUSCO