New MONUSCO Mandate Should Include Programs to Increase Defections, Combat Smuggling | RAISE Hope for Congo

Posted by Sasha Lezhnev on Mar 12, 2013 | Original article
 
In the coming days, the United Nations Security Council will be debating the mandate of the U.N. mission in Congo known as MONUSCO, the world’s largest peacekeeping force. One of the key decisions the U.S., U.K., France, and the other Security Council members will be deciding is whether to incorporate an intervention brigade into MONUSCO to combat spoiler armed groups. But apart from the brigade, the $1 billion-per-year U.N. mission can make a concrete difference on the ground in other areas like encouraging defections from armed groups and combating smuggling. Based on a recent trip to eastern Congo and conversations with U.N. peacekeepers themselves, here are three ideas that I would want my taxpayer dollars to go toward: (CONTINUED)

FULL ARTICLE: New MONUSCO Mandate Should Include Programs to Increase Defections, Combat Smuggling | RAISE Hope for Congo