MONUSCO (strategy)

• MONUSCO was established in 2010 in the DRC by the UN with its primary mandate to protect civilians, stabilise the DRC, and assist in the political process to make the country more democratic
• As of 2021, MONUSCO had 12,000 troops from various countries, around 1,500 police officers, and 3,000 civilian staff members
• MONUSCO, also as of 2021, had a budget of $1.2 billion making it one of the most expensive UN peacekeeping missions
• Success from this scheme is evidenced since they conducted 1,300 patrols to deter violence against civilians, whilst disarming 30,000 combatants and reintegrating them into society under DDR programs
• However, this scheme proved unsuccessful as in 2020, 1,200 civilians were killed in violence-related incidents in the east, with 100 armed groups situated in the east contributing to ongoing violence and instability
• Also, as of 2021, there were 5.5 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), many due to fleeing conflict in the east