Kinshasa, 12 August 2010 - The Public Information Division of the United Nations Organisation Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) concluded, on 7 August 2010, its awareness campaign designed to help the population across Kinshasa's 24 districts to gain information about the UN Mission's mandate.

The public awareness drive, which was launched in May 2010 and targeted at an estimated 5,000 people in the Congolese capital city, culminated with the establishment of a network for dialogue between MONUSCO and local civil society organizations.

Its objective included informing the population about the mandate and achievements of MONUC and explaining the significance of the mission's change from MONUC to MONUSCO.

During the campaign, civil society leaders across the capital's 24 districts recognized that "promoting a better understanding of MONUSCO's mandate among the people is essential to generating the public support needed to enable MONUSCO to fulfill its mission in a timely manner."

For that purpose, an office for follow-up on dialogue between the UN Mission and civil society organizations was established in each of the districts. Commenting on the role of these offices, the provincial president of the Bureau for Follow-up on the Conclusions of the National Civil Society organizations Symposium, Mr Yamba Yamba, said: "the information network will facilitate dialogue between the population and [MONUSCO] by enabling stronger local ownership of the challenges facing the Mission in implementing its mandate as well as better evaluation of its achievements."

MONUSCO representatives asked these district offices to prepare a timetable for extending this information network to the neighbourhoods within the respective districts. Kinshasa has about 250 neighbourhoods.

Resolution 1925, among other resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, encouraged MONUSCO "to ensure regular interaction with the civilian population to raise awareness and understanding about its mandate and activities." This campaign was meant to help pave the way to the process of implementing local initiatives for development of the districts.