Attachments
I. Introduction
1. The present report, submitted pursuant to paragraph 47 of Security Council resolution 2717 (2023), covers developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 20 June to 19 September 2024. It describes the progress and challenges in the implementation of the mandate of the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO).
II. Political developments
2. Political dynamics during the reporting period were marked by the start of activities of the new Government, the election of the permanent bureau of the Senate, tensions within the political majority and opposition, the trial against leaders of Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC) and Mouvement du 23 mars (M23) and renewed efforts to de-escalate tensions between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
3. On 30 June, the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Félix Tshisekedi, addressed the nation on the occasion of the sixty-fourth anniversary of the country’s independence. In his speech, he reiterated that the defence of the country and the security of its population remained his priority and announced plans to support the diversification of the economy, significant investments in infrastructure, services and the mining sector, and plans to audit public accounts and consolidate foreign exchange reserves.
4. Following two postponements for administrative and security reasons, the Senate elected its permanent bureau on 12 August. The former Prime Minister, JeanMichel Sama Lukonde, was elected president of the Senate, defeating two candidates backed by factions of Union pour la démocratie et le progrès social. For the post of deputy rapporteur – the only seat allocated to the opposition – a candidate representing Ensemble pour la République, Salomon Kalonda, was defeated by JeanClaude Baende, an independent candidate widely viewed as aligned with the majority.
5. While some civil society actors called for the completion of the remaining elections, particularly at the local level, the Independent National Electoral Commission postponed these sine die, citing financial challenges. Meanwhile, national and provincial legislative elections remain foreseen on 5 October in Masisi and Rutshuru territories, where elections could not be held in December 2023 owing to insecurity and the presence of M23.