MONUSCO is currently only present in six provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, while it operated in 20 provinces. Every effort is being made to further reduce its workforce. This is essentially the message sent by Leila Zerrougoui, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General in the DRC, during a conference she held on Thursday, October 3, 2019.

“Our role is not to stay in the DRC, nor to keep the DRC as a child under guardianship; that is not our goal. The goal is when you leave a place, you don’t come back. And we are not coming back because things have not been well taken care of by the authorities with regard to the sovereign functions of the State, because in all countries there may be problems, but if we can manage them without the Security Council getting involved, without affecting the stability of the region, it becomes an internal problem of the State.”

Leïla Zerroudi also reviewed her participation in the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in New York (USA), MONUSCO’s mandate and gradual withdrawal, peacebuilding and the various challenges that remain to be addressed.

For the stability of peace and the lasting solution to the Ebola disease in the DRC, Mrs. Zerrougoui believes that stability is built with the law.

Finally, with regard to armed groups, the boss of MONUSCO emphasized the contribution of her institution.

“Armed groups have been reconstituting themselves for 20 years in the DRC. We need to work on the root causes and we are working on it. Military action is part of it and we are preparing with the DRC because we are here to support the DRC, that is our role,” she said.

For Leila Zerrougoui, these are complex operations that do not prevent them from working holistically together with the Congolese State.

As a reminder, the Head of State, Felix Antoine Tshisekedi, during his first intervention from the United Nations platform, called for the urgent need to readjust MONUSCO’s configuration to developments on the ground, by focusing more on the operational intervention capabilities of UN forces alongside the armed forces of the DRC.

“The DRC still needs MONUSCO, but a non-abundant MONUSCO, well equipped, strong and with an appropriate mandate, like the rapid intervention brigade that had once routed the M23 Movement,” he said before the other UN Member States.

Agnès KAYEMBE

“GD Tech”, the Congolese start-up specializing in the development of drone solutions, coupled with big data and artificial intelligence, promotes the use of civil drones for all types of services. This, to the advantage of boosting the development of the activities of its potential clientele in the DRC.

Indeed, a press conference organized by this supplier of drones, on June 29, 2019 in Kinshasa, focused on the theme: “the digital industry and the professional civil drone market in the DRC.”

“I can tell you already that we have drones for every type of activity for our diversified clientele. Our company manufactures, sells and sells drones, “said GD Tech General Manager Adonaï Collé.

The opportunity was favorable for this young entrepreneur to invite the Congolese to take ownership of new technologies, mainly in the field of the use of drones that facilitate and simplify certain activities of the various companies operating in the DRC.

These include agriculture, industrial inspection, engineering, information, customs and maritime and river freight management, mining and forestry, electrical energy, post and telecom and so many other sectors to meet the needs of the local and international population.

GD Tech’s strategy is based on continuous development of products, solutions and services. But also the culture of the spirit of teamwork and simplicity. Also the accompaniment of the customers and the partnership with the companies safe and respectful of their environment.

The public-private partnership is also a privileged mode of collaboration within GD Tech. This company intervenes particularly in the mining and agricultural sectors (where it can cover a field of 2,500 hectares thanks to its drones.)

“Another type of partnership offered to our clientele involves research participation in a number of areas, including forestry and thermography,” added Adonai Collé.

This company providing professional civil drones works for the development of the Congolese population through technology.

GD Tech claims to have contributed to several technology development projects around the world thanks to the training it organizes in various sectors to facilitate the management and deployment of its services.

Agnes KAYEMBE