UN Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations speaks at USIP about Congo

On February 24, the United States Institute of Peace hosted a lecture called “Prospects for Peace and Democracy in DRC,” at which Jean-Marie Guehenno, UN Under-Secretary General for Peacekeeping Operations, was the keynote speaker.  

Guehenno first addressed the cases of sexual abuse committed by UN peacekeepers in the country, stating that the risk of these problems exists when wealth and power come in contact with extreme poverty in a broken society. Expressing his commitment to confront the problem, he discussed the code of conduct in place and his desire to strengthen it. Guehenno pointed out that while actions are in place to punish the perpetrators, the UN needs a stronger prevention program, enforcement capacity, and investigative capability to look into the plight of victims. 

Guehenno also emphasized the positive impact the international community has had in Democratic Republic of Congo and the need to stay the course and help the country emerge safe and secure. He said that the international community usually feels that their job is complete after a peacekeeping force has been deployed with a set budget, but in reality, it’s usually just the beginning. The key commodity that is usually missing – continual political engagement – is crucial to success. Guehenno pointed out that the Democratic Republic of Congo is the second largest country in Africa and due to its central location in Africa, events in the country impact the entire region. He said if DRC stabilizes, it has the potential of exporting wealth & peace and could be a powerful, positive influence on the continent.  

Despite all its failings, he also outlined the successes of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) - the biggest & most expensive UN peace operation with a budget of $1 billion & 16,000 troops: 

·         Five years ago, the country was a battle ground for a number of foreign armies – there were military offensives almost every month; today it’s at a smaller scale.

·         Five years ago, it was almost impossible to travel around & the Congo River was impassable, but today it has more or less re-opened making it easier to travel in the country.

·         The fact that elections are being planned is a great achievement because the notion would have been unthinkable five years ago.

·         Economists were claiming negative growth in Congo five years ago, while today it’s at about 4-5% according to the World Bank.
 

+ LISTEN TO ALL THE LECTURES AT THE EVENT 

+ READ ABOUT THE ICC INVESTIGATION OF THE DRC

Updated February 28, 2005