The head of the United Nations Peace keeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) expressed disappointment at the recent suspension of Radio Okapi broadcasts, a radio station backed by the UN.
Commenting on the suspension of the Radio station, the head of the Un Organisation Stabilisation mission in DRC (MONUSCO) Roger Meece said,
“We find the timing and lack of notification by CSAC puzzling and regrettable. We will be registering an official protest of this action with Congolese authorities.”
The radio station was created 10 years ago with the aim of contributing to the consolidation of peace throughout Congo. Congo’s media department, The Conseil Superieur de l’Audiovisuel et de la Communication (CSAC) decided to suspend the station indefinitley last week.
The decision to halt broadcasts was not communicated to MONUSCO, and reduces the stabilising mission’s outlets in the unstable region of East DRC, North Kivu.
MONUSCO reiterated in a recent press release press release that it was still “fully committed to addressing urgently the humanitarian and security needs of the population in North Kivu, providing full support to achieving a resolution of threat posed by M23 military actions as rapidly as possible, an establishment more broadly of long-term peace and security for North Kivu and the region.”
