Bukavu, 29 July 2011 - From 27 to 28 July 2011, MONUSCO Office for Demobilization, Disarmament, Repatriation, Resettlement and Reintegration (DDRRR) of MONUSCO in the Sud-Kivu province organized a brainstorming workshop on the issues of foreign and local armed groups active in eastern DRC for its partners in Bukavu. Participants discussed the strategies and challenges faced while accomplishing their work.

The workshop started with a brief background of the DDRRR activities and the challenges faced since MONUC deployment in 2002. DDRRR experts took turn presenting the current situation in the DRC, especially the Congolese and foreign armed groups that are still active in the East as well as the appropriate strategies to develop in order to put an end to the situation. The international Red Cross Committee presented a module on the issue of Ethics and Law in armed conflicts as part of the DDRRR.

During the two day of the session , participants shared their experiences and discussed ways to reinforce collaboration with MONUSCO, the Congolese partners and the UN agencies in respect to DDRRR for the armed groups, and especially the residual groups operating in the Congolese territory.

Tahina ANDRIAMAMONJITIANASOA/MONUSCO