Recalibrating MONUSCO

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies argues that the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) is hindered by a rigid, reactive mandate that fails to address the complex regional political dynamics and the enhanced military capabilities of armed groups like the M23. The authors call for a fundamental recalibration of the mission, shifting from a defensive posture to one focused on prevention, flexible rules of engagement, and a transition strategy based on local readiness benchmarks rather than fixed timelines.

• MONUSCO's operational effectiveness is severely limited by a rigid, territorially bound mandate that prohibits cross-border operations or 'hot pursuit' of armed groups, rendering its approach to civilian protection reactive rather than preventive.
• Regional instability is exacerbated by state actors supporting non-state armed groups; specifically, the UN has found that Rwanda supports the M23, while the DRC is accused of supporting the Forces Démocratiques de Libération du Rwanda (FDLR).
• The security situation in eastern DRC has deteriorated sharply since January 2025, characterized by the capture of Goma and Bukavu by M23 and a significant increase in civilian casualties and abuses.
• Sexual and gender-based violence has reached unprecedented levels in eastern DRC, with over 17,000 victims treated by healthcare providers in a five-month period in 2024, indicating the deliberate use of violence against women and girls as a war tactic.
• Humanitarian crises are acute in eastern DRC, with the International Organization for Migration reporting 3,635,036 displaced people as of August 2025, 96% of whom were displaced due to conflict.
• The recruitment of children by armed groups remains a critical issue, with the UN Security Council reporting that at least 4,006 children were recruited or used by armed groups in 2024.
• Previous regional interventions, including the East African Community Regional Force (EACRF) and the SADC Mission in the DRC, failed due to political fragmentation, diverging interests, and limited resources.
• The authors recommend that MONUSCO's withdrawal be linked to local readiness benchmarks and the capacity of the FARDC and police rather than fixed timelines, and that the Force Intervention Brigade be given a clear mandate to neutralize aggressive factions.

APA

Hoinathy, R., Mooloo, N., & Asanzi, P. (2025). Recalibrating MONUSCO. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1768572864974-PB-207-new.pdf

Chicago

Hoinathy, Remadji, Nirvaly Mooloo, and Philippe Asanzi. Recalibrating MONUSCO. Institute for Security Studies, 2025. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1768572864974-PB-207-new.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Hoinathy |first1=Remadji |last2=Mooloo |first2=Nirvaly |last3=Asanzi |first3=Philippe |title=Recalibrating MONUSCO |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=2025 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1768572864974-PB-207-new.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{hoinathy2025recalibrating, author = {Hoinathy, Remadji and Mooloo, Nirvaly and Asanzi, Philippe}, title = {{Recalibrating MONUSCO}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2025}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/pages/1768572864974-PB-207-new.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }