Kinshasa steps up talks with MONUSCO and defends security priorities two months before the UN mission’s mandate renewal

With MONUSCO’s mandate due to expire in two months, Congolese officials met a mission delegation led by James Swan in Kinshasa on October 22, 2026. Defense Minister Guy Kabombo Muadiamvita, Foreign Minister Thérèse Kayikwamba Wagner and other government members discussed renewal of the mandate, the DRC’s priorities and security developments in the east. Kinshasa called for a mandate that puts civilian protection first and reflects current security realities. The meeting comes amid continued hostilities and a worsening humanitarian situation.