Peacekeeping operations are deployed in areas of fragility, where sustained international support can facilitate a transition towards peace and stability. The context in which peacekeepers are deployed are therefore, per definition, complex and often characterised by operational impediments. Engaging on security and political issues in challenging settings is therefore nothing out of the ordinary for the United Nations (UN). Operating in an area affected by a generalised healthcare crisis, however, adds an additional layer of complexity.
MONUSCO learnt valuable lessons from Ebola, but the global nature of COVID-19 required a fundamental shift in our approach @SRSG_MONUSCO #C19ConflictMonitor
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Sustaining a meaningful presence
With the arrival of the pandemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in early March, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) was faced with difficult choices. Given the mission’s mandate and critical role, both with regard to accompanying the ongoing political transition and to supporting national security forces in the east of the country, hitting the pause button on our operations was not a viable option. Apart from our duty vis-à-vis the Congolese population and the Security Council, stepping back from these responsibilities in a time of need would have had serious repercussions on the organisation’s legitimacy and would diminish the space for the mission to deliver on its mandate in the future.
Nevertheless, there was a need to adapt MONUSCO’s footprint and modes of engagement to balance delivering on our mandate with the imperatives of protecting staff in a situation of scarce medical capacity and limiting the risk of becoming a vector for transmission. Avoiding a propagation of the illness within the mission, which would divert attention from implementing the mandate, was therefore key. To support decision-making, a dedicated COVID-19 task force was put in place, serving as a link between the mission’s leadership, the operational level and the broader UN presence in the country. In addition, this capacity facilitated the identification of potential impacts of the pandemic, as well as the timely formulation of an operational plan.
Prioritising action and mitigating risks
Given the operational impediments, the mission was unable to continue delivering on the entire breadth of its usual activities, which called for a process of prioritisation. In line with MONUSCO’s mandate and given the government’s understandable focus on mitigating the immediate effects of the pandemic in the country, the mission’s leadership team decided that maintaining its protection of civilian capacity in areas of sustained armed conflict was therefore the first priority.
Uniformed personnel played an essential role in this endeavour, including through supporting government forces, the physical protection of at-risk populations, and opening space for humanitarian and other civilian actors to implement their mandates. However, the risk of introducing the virus through large troop movements compelled the Secretary-General to temporarily put all military and police rotations on hold. The understanding shown by troop- and police-contributing countries bought the mission precious time to find solutions for the logistical challenges of transporting, quarantining and sequencing the movement of large numbers of men and women entering and exiting the country. I am also thankful to the uniformed personnel deployed in hardship duty stations, who remained in the country far beyond their intended deployment. These measures enabled uniformed operations in the east to continue with little to no interruption.
Measures such as the halting of all regular flights to reduce the risk of staff bringing the illness from Kinshasa – the epicentre of the outbreak in the country – to areas not affected at that time, the temporarily suspension of staff returning to the country and the need to limit the presence of personnel in our premises also impacted heavily on civilian-led protection of civilians (POC) activities and the broader good office’s role. While restraints on large, in-person meetings still poses challenges, strict social distancing measures, the use of technology and targeting interventions have helped to overcome the initial hiatus in communication with government counterparts. The mission has since resumed its role in supporting local conflict resolution processes, deploying joint protection teams in areas of heightened risk and engaging with actors across the political spectrum to address political tensions, including within the governing coalition. Building on lessons learnt, the mission has also progressively been able to refocus on more long-term support for the stabilisation and strengthening of state institutions.
While most measures focused on sustaining operations, rethinking our modes of engagement also allowed for innovative ideas to be tested and implemented, expanding the range of tools at the disposal of the mission. Following the nationwide closure of schools, for instance, Radio Okapi teamed up with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the ministry of education to develop home-schooling programmes, which were aired to millions of children across the country. Similarly, the pandemic also fostered joint initiatives between the mission and members of the UN country team, such as the establishment of a joint medical facility in Kinshasa for staff infected with COVID-19. Apart from bolstering the internal medical capacity, the facility will also contribute to alleviating the burden on an already stretched national healthcare system. Furthermore, COVID-19 coordination mechanisms facilitated a ‘One-UN’ approach to supporting the government in its efforts to stem the pandemic and adopting a common set of prevention measures for staff.
Moving forward
For the foreseeable future, COVID-19 will shape the realities on the ground. While health risks and strict prevention measures continue to impact on the delivery of our mandate, they can also spur innovation and offer opportunities to further deepen the collaboration between the mission, the UN country team and the government. This collaboration will outlast the current healthcare crisis. I strongly believe that as the effects of the pandemic translate into humanitarian, economic, social and security challenges, MONUSCO will have a critical role to play in supporting the government to navigate the new context. However, our ability to deliver will depend heavily on the resolve of national actors and the international community, and I therefore call on the latter to maintain their political and financial support to protect the investments made in peace and security in the DRC over the past two decades.
Leila Zerrougui is Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.