UN council holds first video briefings of Coronavirus era

U.N. Security Council held its first video conference briefings of Coronavirus era Tuesday on U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo, and recognised improving political and security situation in most parts of country except volatile mineral-rich east.

council meeting, first since March 12, was held without any prior tice to media, apparently as a trial run ahe of a session on Thursday where several resolutions are expected to be opted. Diplomats said re were some technical glitches on Tuesday and decision has yet been me about how Thursday’s meeting will be conducted.

U.N. hequarters complex overlooking New York’s East River is open and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has been working in his 38th floor office, but a building which on a rmal day gets about 11,000 swipes of passes of staff going in or out got only 51 swipes by 11 a.m. on Tuesday, with overwhelming majority of people working from home.

According to diplomats, Security Council’s closed virtual meeting lasted about four hours and included briefings by Leila Zerrougui, U.N. envoy for Congo, and U.N. peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre Lacroix as well as a discussion on how U.N.’s most powerful body will conduct its business during COVID-19 pandemic.

re has been growing pressure to reduce size of more than 18,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo, kwn as MONUSCO.

Guterres said “MONUSCO has begun consultations with Government on a strategic dialogue to ensure that draw down and exit are carefully sequenced” to sustain gains of past two deces. council encourd government to work with its members and U,N, Secretariat on “a joint strategy and benchmarks for draw down.”

Congo’s President Felix Tshisekedi has been in office since January 2019 and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a report to council circulated Tuesday that coalition government, including his supporters and a coalition backing his predecessor Joseph Kabila, “remained relatively stable,” ting its timely approval to 2020 state budget. “Neverless, a number of high-profile public statements continued to signal underlying tensions,” U.N. chief said.

Security Council echoed Guterres’ concerns about ongoing violence in east, where dozens of armed groups are active. Tens of thousands of people have fled fighting, which also complicated global response to an Ebola outbreak in region.

Guterres welcomed “ recent milestone of releasing last Ebola patient from treatment” but urged vigilance until virus’s complete erication is assured. Security Council also welcomed progress on combating Ebola virus, ting absence of new cases over last month.

Council members also welcomed steps taken by Congolese authorities to contain COVID-19 pandemic.