The Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General and Head of MONUSCO, James Swan, has met with former Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila and representatives of the Front de Résistance Nationale (FRN) in Goma as part of ongoing efforts to support peace in eastern DRC.

During the meetings, Swan emphasised the importance of peace processes, respect for the ceasefire and the pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the conflict in eastern DRC.

The engagements come amid the emergence of the FRN, which has announced that it is succeeding the Alliance Fleuve Congo (AFC), the political-military coalition associated with the M23 rebel movement.

Swan also met with officials of the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism (EJVM+) to discuss ongoing efforts to monitor and verify compliance with ceasefire arrangements.

MONUSCO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the mechanism and broader peace efforts in eastern DRC, in accordance with its mandate.

The UN mission's engagements form part of its continued efforts to promote dialogue, support ceasefire monitoring and contribute to the protection of civilians amid persistent insecurity in the region.

The meetings underscore the importance of sustained dialogue and cooperation among relevant stakeholders in advancing efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.