DRC: Acting head of UN mission touches down in Goma

The acting head of the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo arrived in Goma on Thursday, which is currently under the control of the M23 armed group.

The mission described the arrival as ‘an important milestone after a prolonged interruption of air access’.

Speaking from Goma, Vivian van de Perr called for an end to the fighting in the DRC, saying, “in accordance with Security Council Resolution 2808 of 2025, MONUSCO is mandated to support a permanent ceasefire.”

M23 fighters seized control of the city last January as part of a lightning offensive in the east of the country that claimed thousands of lives.

The acting head of MONUSCO announced her plans for the region, which has been targeted by M23 rebels since their resurgence five years ago.

“In the coming days, MONUSCO will deploy an initial aerial reconnaissance mission in Uvira. My visit aims to engage with the relevant interlocutors and move forward with concrete preparations: verification procedures, coordination, communication, and practical conditions to ensure the mechanism functions in a credible manner.”

The mission is set to be deployed on the border with Burundi in the coming weeks.

In recent weeks Angola has ramped up efforts to end the conflict and proposed another truce from Wednesday between the Congolese army and the M23.