Goma residence not optimistic about peace as MONUSCO chief visits

As the acting head of the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo arrived in Goma on Thursday, residents of the city say they are not optimistic about peace.

MONUSCO will support efforts towards a durable ceasefire between the army and the AFC/M23 rebels who captured the city over a year ago.

Resident David Chimuda said MONUSCO was just a “distraction”.

"There have been so many ceasefires announced over a long period, yet they do nothing at all,” he said.

His opinion is echoed by fellow resident of the city, Pascal Bahati, who said they had heard that Vivian van de Perre had arrived.

"Twenty years ago there was war, and today the war is still here and people are dying. There is really no difference, MONUSCO does nothing at all."

Despite the US-brokered deal between the Congolese and Rwandan governments and ongoing negotiations with the rebels fighting continues on several.

The conflict has created one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with over 7 million people displaced, according to the U.N. refugee agency.