Fragile future:Why scaling down MONUC too soon could spell disaster for the Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo today finds itself at a critical turning point, confronted with both the challenges and opportunities of rebuilding a nation from the ground up. The presence of United Nations peacekeepers (MONUC) has significantly reduced fighting and organised violence, and must be maintained with an appropriate troop strength and mandate to guarantee peace and long-term stability. MONUC should not scale down its activities until the Congolese security forces – and in particular the army – stop posing a threat to their own populations and instead begin providing security and protection to the Congolese people.