Bukavu, 6 September 2012 - The civilian section of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) organized, between 4 and 6 September 2012, a workshop on the prioritization of conflicts in six of the eight territories that Bukavu counts, the provincial capital of Sud-Kivu. Representatives of the Congolese Governments, local and international NGOs, civil society organizations, as well as UN agencies attended the workshop.

The aim of the workshop, which was organized at MONUSCO headquarters, was to rank the identified conflicts in the territories of Idjwi, Kabare, Kalehe, Mwenga, Shabunda and Walungu in order of priority. A survey conducted by the Civil Affairs section in the six territories since April 2008 helped identify about a hundred conflicts in the sector of Bukavu alone, including land issues, conflicts related to traditional chieftaincy, conflicts over the control of natural resources, political and administrative-related matters, as well as ethnic issues.

With a designed conflict mapping, the workshop endeavored to harmonize views on the conflicts that need urgent or priority intervention. According to Bokani Hart, Head of the civil affairs section in Bukavu, the workshop was specifically aimed at ranking in order of priority "the identified conflicts in the six territories with a view to providing the stakeholders active in the area with an appropriate working tool."

This MONUSCO Civil Affairs-newly developed methodology is instrumental for successful interventions, depending on the stake and urgency, as well as taking into account the threats against civilian populations and the restoration of state authority. This move fits in with the "Conflicts Management and Reconciliation Support" pillar of the Civil Affairs section.

Alain Likota/ MONUSCO