The UN plans to deploy an additional 2 000 peacekeepers to boost its strength from 17 500 troops adding that there should be possibilities to use aerial vehicles on DRC territory.
UN peacekeeping operations spokesman Kieran Dwyer says that peacekeeping diplomats have already met the Rwandan and Congolese governments to seek approval for the deployment of unarmed drones to sharpen the arsenal of the peacekeeping and combat capabilities of the force.
“The UN is considering a range of ways to strengthen the capabilities of MONUSCO to protect civilians from the threat of armed groups in the vast area of eastern DR Congo.
Unarmed aerial vehicles, or drones, for monitoring the movements of armed groups, are one tool we are considering. Of course, we would do this carefully in full cooperation with the government of the DR Congo.”
Dwyer said the drones would be used for information gathering to help implement the UN’s mandate to protect civilians. “Ultimately, to introduce these, we would need the support of member states to equip the mission,” Dwyer said.
Rwanda’s first counsellor for Rwanda’s UN Mission in New York Olivier Nduhungirehe told news agencies that it will be hard to find consensus for the deployment of MONUSCO drones in the Great Lakes region.
“This is controversial, not all countries agree with this.” An unnamed UN Security Council diplomat also warned it will be hard to get the co-operation of divided regional neighbours.
Following the M-23 offensive, which displaced thousands of people, the UN says it has reviewed its peacekeeping operations and plans to acquire unarmed drones for use in monitoring rebel groups and tribal militias in the North and South Kivu provinces and the borders between Rwanda and DRC.
The UN has 17 500 troops from 50 countries deployed to the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO) but the force has so far proved largely incapable of protecting civilians and refugees from armed attacks.
Leave a Reply