Federal President Berset visits Swiss UN troops in Congo

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Federal President Alain Berset (51) thanked the Swiss mission forces on the short message service Twitter. Switzerland is involved in the Monusco, among other things, by deploying police forces and deminers. Monusco is one of the largest peacekeeping operations of the United Nations (UN) and has existed since 1999. The reason was the second Congo war in 1998.

Berset also visited a camp for internally displaced persons in Goma. In Bukava, the Federal President also met representatives of regional authorities and Swiss partner organisations, as well as doctor, human rights activist and Nobel Prize winner Denis Mukwege at his Panzi Hospital.

Humanitarian situation is worrying

Before his visit to Goma, Berset met Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi (59) in the capital Kinshasa. The conversation focused on bilateral relations and the security situation in the east of the country, about which Berset expressed great concern, especially with regard to the humanitarian situation, as announced by the EDI.

Berset stressed Switzerland’s support for the regional peace processes and – in view of the involvement of foreign actors in the conflict zone – for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the DRC.

UN Security Council chaired by Berset

All discussions focused on the question of how to ensure the protection of civilians in conflict areas. A meeting of the UN Security Council chaired by Berset is scheduled for mid-May on this subject.

The trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo was the second in this context after the presidential visit to Mozambique in February. In any case, the aim was to have an exchange on the ground with authorities at different levels of government, international organizations and NGOs, as announced by the EDI. (SDA)

Source:Blick