MONUSCO Acting Head to Visit Goma Ahead of Ceasefire Verification

February 12, 2026 - Vivian van de Perre, Acting Head of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), is scheduled to visit Goma on Thursday to support preparations for monitoring and verifying a ceasefire, the mission announced. Ms. van de Perre, serving as the Acting Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, will arrive by air, marking a significant operational step after a prolonged interruption of air access to Goma since January 2025. During the visit, she will engage with relevant stakeholders to advance practical arrangements for the ceasefire verification mechanism. Under UN Security Council Resolution 2808 (2025), MONUSCO is authorized to assist in the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, including technical and logistical support to the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) through the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+). “I am going to Goma to support preparations for monitoring and verifying the ceasefire, in close coordination with the established ceasefire architecture, including the EJVM+,” Ms. van de Perre stated. MONUSCO emphasized that its support will remain strictly within its mandate and in full respect of the sovereignty of the DRC. A UN source indicated that the mission is also preparing a gradual resumption of operations in eastern DRC, beginning with aerial reconnaissance flights, followed by a limited ground deployment, and then a progressive increase in operational presence, contingent on security guarantees. These measures aim to bolster the momentum of the ceasefire, though the UN stresses that successful peace efforts also rely on the engagement of the guarantors of the agreements, including the United States, Qatar, and the African Union.