During a visit to Beni on Wednesday, September 23, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in the DRC and Head of MONUSCO, James Swan, held talks with North Kivu Deputy Governor, Divisional Commissioner Louis Second Karawa.
The discussions focused on the deteriorating security situation in several parts of the province, particularly the repeated attacks by the ADF rebels and the resulting mass displacement of populations.
Following the meeting, James Swan reaffirmed MONUSCO’s commitment to protecting civilians facing insecurity. He notably stressed that “the threat posed by the ADF remains extremely concerning” and that “civilians continue to bear the heavy burden of attacks, forced displacement and persistent insecurity.”
In light of this situation, he stressed that “the protection of civilians remains MONUSCO’s absolute priority.”
According to him, this commitment is reflected in Beni through the maintenance of “a robust, mobile and responsive posture,” as well as the strengthening of early-warning mechanisms and rapid-response capabilities when civilians are at risk.
The Head of MONUSCO also emphasized cooperation with the Congolese security forces in the fight against armed groups.
“This cooperation is essential and must remain concrete, regular and results-oriented,” he said, referring in particular to information sharing, operational coordination, patrols and threat anticipation.
“Our objective is to work together to anticipate threats, deter attacks and act as early as possible in order to protect civilians,” James Swan added, noting that around 4,900 joint MONUSCO-FARDC patrols were conducted between January and September 2026 in the Beni area.
In addition to security issues, the discussions also addressed the evolution of the Ebola outbreak in the northern part of North Kivu, where the number of cases is rising.
James Swan commended the efforts already underway under the leadership of the Congolese government, with the support of the United Nations system, the World Health Organization (WHO) and humanitarian partners.
“The United Nations system, together with WHO and humanitarian partners, remains fully mobilized to support the response and help contain the outbreak,” the Head of MONUSCO said.
In the face of the surge in cases, he called on communities to maintain a high level of vigilance and support response efforts.
“The authorities and communities of the Grand North can count on our support,” he said, while paying tribute to health workers involved in the fight against the disease.
James Swan notably praised the work of specialized agencies and “the health workers who are on the front lines and continue to carry out their work under particularly difficult conditions.”
Arriving in Beni on Wednesday morning from Goma, where he had carried out a two-day working visit, James Swan is continuing his consultations with provincial authorities on the security and humanitarian challenges facing North Kivu.
Jean-Tobie Okala
