The United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or MONUSCO, an acronym based on its French name Mission de l'Organisation des Nations Unies pour la stabilisation en République démocratique du Congo, is a United Nations peacekeeping force in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) which was established by the United Nations Security Council in resolutions 1279 (1999) and 1291 (2000) to monitor the peace process of the Second Congo War, though much of its focus subsequently turned to the Ituri conflict, the Kivu conflict and the Dongo conflict. The mission was known as the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo or MONUC, an acronym of its French name Mission de l'Organisation des Nations Unies en République démocratique du Congo, until 2010.
Operation Artemis, formally European Union Force Democratic Republic of the Congo (EUFOR), was a short-term European Union-led UN-authorised military mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the Ituri conflict. ARTEMIS is considered the first military operation led by the EU, the first autonomous EU operation, the first rapid response mission of the EU, first operation outside Europe, first operation applying the principle of the framework nation and first example of "relay operation", conducted in cooperation between the EU and the United Nations. The deployment of EUFOR troops quickly decreased the conflict's intensity. It marked the first autonomous EU military mission outside Europe and an important milestone in development of the European Security and Defence Policy.
Congolese history in the 2000s has primarily revolved around the Second Congo War (1998–2003) and the empowerment of a transitional government.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1925, adopted unanimously on May 28, 2010, after reaffirming previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until June 30, 2010, authorised a withdrawal of 2,000 troops and decided that from July 1, 2010, MONUC would be known as the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) with a mandate until June 30, 2011.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1445 was adopted unanimously on 4 December 2002. After recalling all previous resolutions on situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the council expanded the military component of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) to a level of 8,700 military personnel–up from 4,250–in two task forces.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1468, adopted unanimously on 20 March 2003, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council welcomed an agreement on the establishment of a transitional government and requested an increased presence of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) in the Ituri region in the east of the country amid escalating violence.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1484, adopted unanimously on 30 May 2003, after recalling previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Council authorised Operation Artemis in Bunia, the capital of Ituri Province, amid the deteriorating security situation in the area.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1489, adopted unanimously on 26 June 2003, after recalling Resolution 1291 (2000) and other resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly resolutions 1468 (2003) and 1484 (2003), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 30 July 2003.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1493, adopted unanimously on 28 July 2003, after recalling all resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 30 July 2004 and raised its troop level from 8,700 to 10,800.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1533, adopted unanimously on 12 March 2004, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the council established a committee to monitor an arms embargo imposed on all foreign and Congolese forces in the east of the country.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1555, adopted unanimously on 29 July 2004, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including resolutions 1493 (2003) and 1533 (2004), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 1 October 2004.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1565, adopted unanimously on 1 October 2004 after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 31 March 2005 and authorised an additional deployment of 5,900 troops and police. It reaffirmed the commitment to respect the “sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence [sic]” of Congo and States in the region.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1592, adopted unanimously on 30 March 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including Resolution 1565 (2004), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until 1 October 2005.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1596, adopted unanimously on 18 April 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including resolutions 1493 (2003), 1533 (2004), 1552 (2004), 1565 (2004) and 1592 (2005), the council expanded the arms embargo to include all recipients of weapons in the country, and imposed a travel ban and asset freeze on those violating the embargo.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1621, adopted unanimously on 6 September 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including resolutions 1565 (2004) and 1592 (2005), the Council authorised the temporary increase in the strength of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) to assist with upcoming elections.
United Nations Security Council resolution 1628, adopted unanimously on 30 September 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including resolutions 1565 (2004), 1592 (2005), 1596 (2005) and 1621 (2005), the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) for a period of one month.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1649, adopted unanimously on 21 December 2005, after recalling all previous resolutions on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including resolutions 1533 (2004), 1565 (2004), 1592 (2005), 1596 (2005) and 1616 (2005), 1621 (2005) and 1628 (2005), the council extended and expanded sanctions against the country until 31 July 2006, and demanded that foreign fighters disarm or face sanctions.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1669, adopted unanimously on April 10, 2006, after recalling previous resolutions concerning the situation in Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly Resolution 1650 (2005), the Council authorised the redeployment of personnel from the United Nations Operation in Burundi (ONUB) to the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) until July 1, 2006.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1671, adopted unanimously on April 25, 2006, after recalling previous resolutions concerning the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, particularly resolutions 1565 (2004), 1592 (2005), 1621 (2005) and 1635 (2005), the Council authorised the deployment of the European Union's EUFOR RD Congo force to assist the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) during the 2006 general elections.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1711, adopted unanimously on September 29, 2006, after recalling all previous resolutions concerning the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, including resolutions 1565 (2004), 1592 (2005), 1596 (2005), 1621 (2005), 1628 (2005), 1635 (2005), 1671 (2006) and 1693 (2006), and resolutions 1650 (2005), 1669 (2006), 1692 (2006) on the situation in Burundi and the African Great Lakes region, the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC) until February 15, 2007.
