Kinshasa, February 12th, 2026 (CPA). – Ms Vivian van de Perre, Acting Head of the United Nations Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO), has arrived in Goma, North Kivu province, in the east of the country, as part of preparations to support the monitoring and verification of the ceasefire, the CPA has reported. ‘I am travelling to Goma to support preparations for monitoring and verification of the ceasefire, in close coordination with the established ceasefire architecture, including the Expanded Joint Verification Mechanism Plus (EJVM+),’ said Ms Vivian van de Perre, also Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General, quoted in a document from the UN Mission in the DRC. As part of this mission, Ms. van de Perre arrived at Goma airport by air, marking an important operational milestone after a prolonged interruption of air access to the city since January 2025. The visit includes exchanges with relevant interlocutors and stakeholders to advance practical arrangements for the ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism. In accordance with Security Council Resolution 2808 (2025), MONUSCO is explicitly authorized to support the implementation of a permanent ceasefire, including through technical and logistical support to the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) through the EJVM+. MONUSCO has reaffirmed that its support for ceasefire monitoring and verification will be provided within the framework of its mandate as defined by the Security Council and with full respect for the sovereignty of the DRC.
This program of travel to the east of the country was announced on Tuesday by the United Nations Under-Secretary-General, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, during a meeting with Congolese President Félix Tshisekedi. According to him, the UN mission, which is ready to carry out this operation, plans to start from the town of Uvira.