MONUSCO chief visits Goma as ceasefire monitoring mechanism advances

Vivian van de Perre, acting head of the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, known as MONUSCO, arrived in Goma on Thursday, marking a step toward implementing a joint ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism between the Congolese government and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels.



Her helicopter landed at Goma International Airport, which has been closed since the eastern city fell to the M23 in January 2025. The closure has complicated humanitarian deliveries and diplomatic travel in the conflict-affected region, where sporadic clashes have persisted.



"I hope this is the start of a gradual reopening of Goma airport for the benefit of the population," van de Perre told reporters on arrival.



MONUSCO said that the visit was an operational move to help consolidate the ceasefire. Acting under a mandate from the UN Security Council, the mission is tasked with supporting efforts toward a durable truce and assisting the rollout of the joint monitoring and verification mechanism.