The mission, known as MONUSCO, has been in the country for 20 years and is currently in the process of winding down.
The decision taken by the Council today sets out a comprehensive exit plan that includes three different successive stages and a gradual transfer of responsibility to the Government.
MONUSCO will remain stationed until December 20, 2024, with core missions including protecting civilians, supporting security sector reform, and supporting disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR) processes.
Elections and security situation
The council vote took place on the eve of the DRC's general elections, amidst worsening security in eastern regions linked to the M23 rebel group, including Greater Katanga, Mai Ndombe and Tshopou.
In a statement released after the Council meeting, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urged Congolese authorities, political leaders, civil society and the Independent Electoral Commission to ensure that all voters have free access to voting stations and without fear of intimidation. asked to be able to vote. Or political persecution.
The resolution was introduced by France and supported by all 15 member states of the Council.
Recognizes the efforts of the Congolese people to protect and respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and calls on armed groups to “immediately cease all forms of violence, other destabilizing activities, and the illegal exploitation and trafficking of natural resources” are doing. M23 has also been asked to stop further progress.
The Council reaffirmed that eliminating the threat posed by armed groups requires an integrated regional approach and strong political engagement.
Members also called on the Congolese government to fully cooperate with MONUSCO stakeholders and ensure their safety and security during the withdrawal process.
At the beginning of the meeting, the Council stood and observed a minute's silence in honor of the late Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, who passed away on Saturday.
People displaced by conflict in Sudan cross the border into South Sudan.
UNHCR warns of worsening displacement in Sudan
The United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, continues to sound the alarm over Sudan's civil war. The displacement situation is getting worse, with hundreds of thousands more people fleeing recent fighting in central Al-Jazeera province, southeast of the capital Khartoum.
UNHCR also expressed concern over reports of escalating conflict in the Darfur region. In the Darfur region, renewed fighting broke out on Saturday in El Fasher, North Darfur, resulting in civilian casualties and injuries, further displacement, and subsequent looting of homes and shops, as well as arrests. of.
Air raids were also reported in Nyala, South Darfur state, resulting in casualties and destruction of homes.
Meanwhile, heavy fighting, including airstrikes and gunfire, was reported on the outskirts of Wad Medani, the capital of al-Jazari province, on Friday, and has now reached the town. More than 500,000 people fled Khartoum after conflict between rival military groups first broke out in mid-April.
dire humanitarian situation
UNHCR spokesperson William Spindler said the fighting had caused panic among civilians in Wad Medani, with some seen leaving by car or on foot, some for the second time in just months. Ta.
According to the UN migration agency IOM, between 250,000 and 300,000 people have been evacuated from the town and surrounding areas since the clashes began.
Spindler said UNHCR is working to deliver and distribute urgently needed core relief supplies to newly displaced people from Al-Jazira to Sennar and Gedaref provinces.
“Despite efforts by national and international humanitarian organizations and local actors to provide assistance, the overall humanitarian situation remains dire,” he warned.
The war that broke out in April between the Sudanese army and a rival militia known as the Rapid Support Forces has forced more than 7 million people in Sudan to flee their homes, including to neighboring countries, many of whom have repeatedly returned home. being chased.
UNHCR says that if the fighting intensifies further and spreads to White Nile state, it will significantly impact the work of humanitarian organizations supporting more than 437,000 South Sudanese refugees and approximately 433,000 internally displaced Sudanese. I am very concerned about this possibility.
Officials of the United Nations Secretary-General
The UN Secretary-General also expressed deep concern about reports of fighting near Wad Medani, his spokesperson told reporters in New York on Tuesday.
Stephane Dujarric said the town had served as a hub for humanitarian operations since the start of the conflict and had not been directly affected by the fighting so far.
“The continued escalation of violence in Sudan is devastating for the country and the region,” he said.
He reiterated the United Nations' call for the belligerents to immediately cease fighting and commit to a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Rapid increase in journalists killed in conflict zones: UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) said on Tuesday that 2023 was particularly deadly for journalists working in conflict zones, with the number of killings almost doubling compared to the previous three years.
Additionally, the past three months have already been the deadliest quarter for journalists in conflict zones since at least 2007, with 27 people killed.
This year, 65 journalists died in the line of duty, but by 2022 the number will be 88.
But UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay said this overall decline masked a very worrying phenomenon: a sharp increase in deaths in conflict areas.
victims of the gaza war
At least 38 journalists and media workers have been killed in conflict-affected countries this year, compared to 28 in 2022 and 20 in 2021.
Most of these conflict-related killings have occurred in the ongoing fighting in the Middle East, with UNESCO reporting so far 19 killings in Palestine, three in Lebanon, and two in Israel since October 7. are doing.
At least two people were killed each in Afghanistan, Cameroon, Syria and Ukraine.
This figure does not include deaths of journalists and media workers in situations unrelated to their profession, and UNESCO says a significant number of deaths will still be reported in 2023.