Beni, 24 May 2016 – Senior officials representing the “Guarantors” of the Peace, Security and Cooperation (PSC) Framework comprising of the United Nations (UN), the African Union (AU), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC), visited Mavivi and Erengeti in Beni territory, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), on 24 May 2016. The purpose of the visit was three-fold: to assess the impact of the activities of the negative forces, in particular the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) on the local populations in conflict areas; to express solidarity with the concerned populations and the local authorities; and to call for greater cooperation between the Congolese Armed Forces (FARDC) and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) to neutralize ADF.

The representatives of the “Guarantors” met respectively with MONUSCO officials, civil society members, local administrative and military authorities, and were briefed on the ongoing joint FARDC/MONUSCO operations against the ADF and the operational challenges and constraints they face. Local authorities and members of civil society expressed their frustrations at what they see as the international community’s indifference to their sufferings. They expressed serious concerns over the continued massacres against innocent civilians despite the presence of Congolese and MONUSCO forces, and called upon the international community to step up efforts to ensure the protection of civilians.

The Guarantors reiterated the urgency to boost the ongoing joint operations and urged the local population to fully cooperate in sharing information and alerting the local authorities on any suspicious ADF or other armed groups’ presence in their communities. 

The Guarantors of the PSC Framework comprise the United Nations represented by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for the Great Lakes Region, Said Djinnit, and the Deputy Special Representative of MONUSCO David Gressly; the AU represented by the Special Representative of the Chairperson of the AU Commission for the Great Lakes Region and Head of AU Liaison Office in Burundi, Ibrahima Fall; the ICGLR represented by its Executive Secretary, Alphonse Ntumba Luaba; and the SADC represented by Lt Col Wilbert A. Ibuge, Head of SADC Defense Affairs and Planning.