Martial Mukeba wa Mukeba & Jean-Tobie Okala Across the world, the international community celebrates United Nations Day as a symbol of solidarity and cooperation among nations. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ceremonies were held in Ituri and North Kivu to mark this year’s commemoration, observed on 24 October. Local authorities took the opportunity to highlight the continued engagement of the United Nations alongside the Congolese…
Joël BOFENGO Marthe Dheve Dhessi and Noëlla Katongerwaki have been advocating for women’s rights for many years. In Bunia, Marthe serves as the gender focal point for the NGO Action pour la Paix et la Concorde, while in Beni, Noëlla coordinates the Women’s Action Collective for the Vulnerable. Both share the same conviction: peace cannot be built without women. As the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 marks its twenty-fifth…
Alain Wandimoyi As part of the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, a series of conferences took place from 21 to 23 October 2025 in Goma, Beni and Bunia. The events brought together numerous women’s associations, national and international partners, as well as United Nations agencies. Organized by MONUSCO’s Gender Section, the meetings aimed to promote more active participation of women in…
Jean-Tobie Okala An electrical fire nearly reduced the Fataki General Hospital, located 85 kilometers north of Bunia in Ituri province, to ashes. Thanks to the prompt intervention of MONUSCO’s Nepalese peacekeepers, the worst was avoided. The fire, which occurred on 19 October 2025, was caused by a short circuit due to a surge in the hospital’s solar power system. It quickly spread to the administrative building, destroying medical equipment…
Jacques Miroza The MONUSCO Child Protection Section, in collaboration with the Network of Civil Society Organizations Fighting against the Recruitment and Use of Children by Armed Forces and Groups (ROSCCRESGA), organized a strategic workshop in Goma on 16 October to bolster collective efforts to prevent and address the recruitment and use of children by armed groups. The initiative comes amid persistent insecurity in eastern Democratic Republic…
Jean-Tobie Okala Amid the rapid evolution of digital and financial technologies, MONUSCO is intensifying its support to Congolese judicial institutions. Since 13 October, a specialized training session has been taking place in Beni for judicial police inspectors as well as civilian and military magistrates. Organized by the Justice Support Section, the two-week workshop themed: “ Cryptocurrency and encrypted exchanges: new challenges in combating…
Marylène Seguy The International Day of the Girl was marked on 14 October in Goma by the BI-ESTHER Foundation, with support from MONUSCO’s Gender Section. Around fifty young girls from various local organizations took part in a workshop focused on their rights, their role in peacebuilding, and efforts to end gender-based violence. In this province of eastern DRC, scarred by years of armed conflict, girls and young women remain among the most…
Jean-Tobie Okala Restored bridges, a refurbished farm road and newly installed solar streetlights. MONUSCO officially handed over several Quick Impact Projects on 14 October 2025 to local authorities and community representatives in the territories of Mahagi and Djugu. Implemented in partnership with communities, these initiatives enhance security, promote social cohesion and boost local trade in areas long affected by armed conflict…
Jean-Tobie Okala The MONUSCO Force opened fire on Tuesday, 14 October 2025, to prevent armed elements of the CODECO group from attacking displaced persons in the villages of Ndachulu, Maze and Largu, in Djugu territory, Ituri province. Early in the morning, around 7:40 a.m. local time, residents of Ndachulu were awakened by heavy gunfire from CODECO militiamen attempting to attack the Rhoe displaced persons site, located about one hundred…
Jean-Tobie Okala A campaign to break taboos To mark World Mental Health Day, celebrated every 10 October, MONUSCO supported several awareness activities in Djugu territory and the city of Bunia, in Ituri province. The initiative encouraged open dialogue on mental health and emphasized peace as a key factor in promoting psychological well-being. An often-overlooked issue In a region marked by years of conflict, where trauma has become part of…