DR CONGO / SUSANA MALCORRA

UN Under-Secretary-General Susana Malcorra, in charge of field support for peacekeeping missions, visits Goma to assess the logistical challenges facing the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUC), and opens a workshop for senior commanders on sexual exploitation and abuse. MONUC

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:48
• Production Date: 28 August 2009
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS OBSERVER MISSSION IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO - MONUC
• Subject Topical: PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
• MAMS Id: U090828e

Description

STORY: DR CONGO / SUSANA MALCORRA
TRT: 1.48
SOURCE: MONUC
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 26 AUGUST 2009, GOMA, NORTH KIVU PROVINCE, DR CONGO

Shotlist

26 AUGUST 2009, GOMA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO

1. Pan right, Under-Secretary-General Susana Malcorra and MONUC Force Commander Babacar Gaye arriving
2. Med shot, Gaye, Malcorra and the Chief of MONUC Conduct and Discipline Unit Yewande Odia
3. Med shot, soldiers
4. Wide shot, Malcorra speaking to soldiers
5. Med shot, soldiers
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Susana Malcorra, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support to UN Peacekeeping Missions:
“I’ve seen our people working hard, it’s not perfect, we still have to do a lot of extra work to make sure that we provide all the necessary living conditions and assets to our military and our staff. That is part of my responsibility and I have a list, a laundry list of things to do. And sometimes setting priorities and what you do first - the conditions, everything we do, we do through air – it is very difficult. But all in all, what I can say is that MONUC with a very, very difficult mandate in its hand, with a very challenging situation on the ground is making an impact in my view that should really make us believe even deeper in what peacekeeping is.”
8. Close up, Head of MONUC Conduct and Discipline Unit speaking
9. Med shot, projector screen
10. Med shot, Head of MONUC Conduct and discipline Unit speaking
11. Various shots, soldiers listening during workshop on sexual exploitation and abuse

Storyline

Senior UN peacekeeping official Susana Malcorra this week came for a first-hand assessment of the challenges facing the UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), known as MONUC.

The majority of the MONUC force is deployed to the volatile east of the DRC, where the importance of mobile bases poses significant logistical challenges to the mission.

During her visit to Goma in North Kivu province, Malcorra, who serves as Under-Secretary-General in charge of the United Nations Department of Field Support for peacekeeping, visited one particularly sensitive area near Goma where one of the mobile bases is located to protect and support the civilian population. On market days twice a week, peacekeepers from this basis escorted over a thousand people in order to secure the routes for them to travel safely.

Malcorra stressed the efforts by the peacekeepers to continue their vital security work and in support of military operations dubbed Kimia II against the Democratic Liberation Forces of Rwanda (FDLR).

SOUNDBITE (English) Susana Malcorra, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support to UN Peacekeeping Missions:
“I’ve seen our people working hard, it’s not perfect, we still have to do a lot of extra work to make sure that we provide all the necessary living conditions and assets to our military and our staff. That is part of my responsibility and I have a list, a laundry list of things to do. And sometimes setting priorities and what you do first - the conditions, everything we do, we do through air – it is very difficult. But all in all, what I can say is that MONUC with a very, very difficult mandate in its hand, with a very challenging situation on the ground is making an impact in my view that should really make us believe even deeper in what peacekeeping is.”

Accompanied by the head of MONUC’s Conduct and Discipline Unit, Malcorra also opened a workshop for senior commanders of various contingents of the mission on matters relating to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA).

The aim is the implementation of the United Nations’ zero tolerance policy on violations of UN regulations and the Code of Conduct for UN staff regarding sexual abuse. The workshop recalled the basic principles and the penalties for infringement in the area for UN staff, and also aimed to strengthen the mechanism of prevention.

The Under-Secretary-General stressed the point that peacekeepers are deployed to protect civilians and not harm them.