28 February 2023

Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, Elizabeth Spehar visited the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 8 – 13 February with a delegation from UN headquarters comprising also Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, Martha Pobee, Assistant Secretary-General for Rule of Law and Security institutions Alexandre Zouev, and UNDP Assistant Administrator and Regional Director for Africa, Ahunna Eziakonwa. The World Bank and representatives of the Office of the Special Envoy for the Great Lakes Region also joined the delegation. Led by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Head of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) Bintou Keita, the delegation met with national authorities, civil society organizations, women's groups and the international community, with the aim of ensuring the alignment of UN initiatives with national priorities for the consolidation of peace in DRC, and with a particular focus on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) and stabilization. It also provided an important opportunity to discuss and strengthen partnerships, both with the government and with CSOs in the context of political processes and the transition.