As renewed clashes persist between government forces and the M23 rebel group in North Kivu and South Kivu provinces, James Swan, the UN Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), has underscored the mission’s willingness to support ongoing peace processes, including the Washington Agreement and the Doha Process backed by the African Union.

During a meeting with Guy Kabombo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense and Veterans Affairs, Swan confirmed that MONUSCO has enhanced the operational and logistical capabilities of the Enhanced Joint Verification Mechanism (MCVR+). This initiative aligns with the mission’s broader mandate to bolster regional efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in eastern DR Congo.

“Since December 2025, following UN Security Council Resolution 2808, we have received a new mandate to support the ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism. We discussed the steps we are taking to implement this mandate and how we plan to collaborate with the Ministry of National Defense and Veterans Affairs to achieve the objectives set for MONUSCO,” Swan stated after the meeting.

With urgent calls from international partners for the deployment of the first ceasefire verification mission in eastern DR Congo—including discussions at the recent Washington Agreement review meeting in London and the UN Security Council—MONUSCO has assured it is fully prepared to fulfill this role. The mission is awaiting the official designation of sites where verification operations will take place.

“MONUSCO has contributed to the implementation of the Enhanced Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (MCVE+). Under our mandate, we are responsible for providing logistical support and security oversight for the activities of the MCVE+. In response to additional requests, we have extended logistical assistance and are actively planning to support missions at identified sites for ceasefire monitoring. We are ready to act as soon as the mechanism finalizes the sites to be visited,” Swan reassured.

Swan and Kabombo also reviewed other aspects of MONUSCO’s mandate, emphasizing the need to strengthen collaboration between the UN mission, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC).

“MONUSCO maintains close collaboration with the Ministry of National Defense and Veterans Affairs and DR Congo authorities. With over 8,000 military personnel, MONUSCO works in close partnership with the FARDC, particularly in the Grand Nord and Ituri regions. Today, I shared some of our ongoing activities with the Minister and reiterated our core mandates, including civilian protection, efforts in disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of armed groups, as well as our support for security sector reform,” Swan explained.

This high-level engagement follows recent appeals from the United States and other DR Congo partners, including the London evaluation meeting of the Washington Agreement, which focused on accelerating the implementation of peace and security measures in the Great Lakes region, particularly in eastern DR Congo.

The meeting concluded with Kinshasa and Kigali reaffirming commitments to expedite the implementation of agreements aimed at restoring peace and security. According to official statements, both countries have agreed to “request an adjustment of the EJVM+ (Enhanced Joint Verification Mechanism Plus) mandate to include verification of commitments made under the Washington Agreements.” Additionally, they pledged to “support the rapid deployment of the EJVM+ to undertake its first verification mission” and “urge all actors on the ground to support this initiative.”

In line with UN Security Council Resolution 2808 (2025), MONUSCO is authorized to support the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, providing technical and logistical assistance to the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) through the Enhanced Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+).