MONUSCO to operationalize ceasefire support in Uvira, then expand

The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) says it is ready to move “without delay” to operationally support ceasefire efforts in the country’s conflict-affected east—starting in Uvira and then progressively extending to other impacted areas. The commitment was reiterated after a February 9, 2026 meeting in Kinshasa between Prime Minister Judith Suminwa Tuluka and UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix.

Speaking after the talks at the Prime Minister’s office, Lacroix said discussions focused on implementing commitments emerging from the Washington and Doha processes, which aim to support progress and stabilization in eastern DRC. He stated that MONUSCO is prepared to support the Congolese government in translating those commitments into concrete steps on the ground—beginning with ceasefire support in Uvira.

Lacroix’s remarks outlined a phased approach: MONUSCO’s initial support would focus on Uvira, before scaling to other affected localities as conditions allow. He indicated that planning work is already underway to make the mission’s support “effective as soon as possible,” and framed the effort as part of MONUSCO’s mandate from the UN Security Council.

The UN has recently described the Doha track as helping make the “ceasefire architecture” more concrete, including preparations linked to monitoring arrangements in Uvira while stressing that any role would be limited to what is defined in the ceasefire process.

While the meeting did not announce new military deployments or an expanded mission mandate, the language used by UN officials points to practical, on-the-ground assistance tied to the ceasefire framework supporting implementation steps agreed through ongoing political processes.

In a separate MONUSCO press release dated February 3, 2026, the mission welcomed progress announced in Doha and referenced agreed terms intended to operationalize a ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism, signaling the UN mission’s readiness to support those arrangements within its mandate.

Lacroix also emphasized that restoring state presence across eastern DRC is central to a durable stabilization effort. He described the return of state authority as “absolutely fundamental,” and referenced Uvira in the context of shifting control dynamics and ongoing government efforts to re-establish administration and security structures.

That focus aligns with broader priorities repeatedly cited in the Washington–Doha recommendations referenced in the meeting: adherence to the ceasefire, withdrawal of armed actors from occupied areas, protection of civilians, strengthened regional cooperation, and a gradual restoration of state authority in insecure territories.

In the near term, the key signals to monitor will be:

• Operational steps in Uvira tied to ceasefire support and monitoring arrangements

• Coordination mechanisms between the Congolese government, MONUSCO, and other stakeholders involved in the ceasefire architecture

• Sequencing for any expansion beyond Uvira, as security conditions and implementation benchmarks evolve

For now, the UN’s message is that planning is advanced and that the mission intends to begin support quickly starting with Uvira while maintaining a phased approach linked to the commitments already on the table.