President Lacalle Pou visits Uruguayan military in Democratic Republic of Congo

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – “It is a great honor to be taking part in these festivities with our deployed personnel” in the DRC, Lacalle said at a base in Goma, capital of the northeastern province of North Kivu, in a video posted by Defense Minister Javier Garcia on Twitter.

“Recently arrived at our base in Goma, DR Congo, the President greeted our contingent. It is a great joy to share Christmas with our compatriots on a peace mission,” the Minister, accompanying the President stated on Twitter.

Lacalle will spend Christmas Eve in Goma, where Uruguay – one of the 10 countries contributing the most military personnel to MONUSCO – has deployed a contingent of 550 blue helmets.

On Saturday, the delegation will spend Christmas with approximately 50 military personnel stationed in Bukavu, capital of the neighboring province of South Kivu.

The delegation led by Lacalle Pou and Garcia will present the military contingent with a Nacional and a Peñarol jersey, the two main Uruguayan soccer clubs, in a gesture to bring the country closer to the soldiers deployed in the DRC.

Of all the peacekeeping missions in which Uruguay is involved, DR Congo is the largest, having been deployed to the area in 2001.

According to MONUSCO, Uruguay had 819 blue helmets in the African country up to October 21.

Lacalle’s visit comes after the UN Security Council extended MONUSCO’s mandate for one year last Monday.

The provinces of North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri were particularly affected by the First and Second Congolese War (1996-2003) and the civilian population is still victim of numerous armed groups currently massacring and destroying their homes.

These areas remain mired in conflict fueled by rebel militias and attacks by army soldiers, despite the presence of the UN peacekeeping mission, which has deployed over 14,000 soldiers.