Progressreport_drc Monuc Funding

Progress Report

November 2009

Democratic Republic of Congo Full payment of the U.S. share of the UN peacekeeping mission An overview of progress made on a select number of actions recommended by the InterAction NGO community in the 2008 Foreign Assistance Briefing Book on Critical Problems, Recommendations, and Actions for the Obama Administration and the 111th Congress.

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Ongoing conflict between the Congolese government led by President Joseph Kabila and multiple rebel and militia groups has created widespread regional instability and a devastating humanitarian crisis in which over 1 million people have been internally displaced, 45,000 die monthly from conflict and disease, and sexual violence is at unprecedented levels.

Action Recommended November 2008 Fully pay the U.S. share of the budget for the UN peacekeeping mission (MONUC), and work to improve the effectiveness of MONUC in protecting civilians from abuse.

Overall Progress as of November 2009 Comments and Evidence: Ambassador Susan E. Rice, U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations, announced at a meeting at the UN Security Council, “The United States is now in a position to clear all peacekeeping arrears accumulated from 2005 to 2008 and to meet our obligations in full for 2009—currently estimated at approximately $2.2 billion.” With the FY 2009 Supplemental Appropriations bill, the U.S. cleared all uncontested arrears to its UN peacekeeping contributions —including those for MONUC—and committed to paying the FY 2009 bill in full. Furthermore, the FY 2010 State, Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that passed out of the House in early July will fully fund U.S. contributions to UN peacekeeping. The final Senate version is expected to contain funding to do the same. In a speech in late June, Phillip Carter III, principal deputy assistant secretary of state, Bureau of African Affairs, pledged to continue to urge regional militaries and MONUC to coordinate efforts in order to protect civilians. He also pledged to continue to support international efforts to expand MONUC’s ability to protect civilians in the DRC.